Becoming an Advocate: Processes and Outcomes of a Relationship-Centered Advocacy Training Model

Abstract

Counseling programs across the country are increasingly incorporating social justice advocacy training into their curricula. However, much remains to be learned about the developmental processes by which students develop advocacy skills and apply those skills after they graduate. To address these questions and drive further innovation in the field of advocacy training, we conducted an evaluation of the Community Advocacy Project, a yearlong microlevel advocacy training model that teaches mental health counseling master’s students to use relationship-centered advocacy with individuals in marginalized communities. We interviewed 19 counselors within 2.5 years of their graduation from the project about their experiences of the program and their current advocacy work. Using qualitative description, we developed a model describing processes of Internal Grappling, Building the Advocacy Relationship, and Integrating the Advocate Identity that highlights the importance of a yearlong one-on-one advocacy relationship, intensive reflection and supervision, and community collaboration.