I disagree. I think empowerment has to be modelled. It doesn’t occur naturally in the way Rappaport suggests it does. I have been an advocate in the care system and an advocate in the mental health system, I am regularly used to argue against people in positions of relative power - one of the functions of doing so is to ensue the skills I have (arguing law like a motherfucker) is given via social learning to people who don’t have it. The ideal job of an advocate is to make yourself redundant by modelling skills and giving people the space to speak for themselves. There are people who do not need to be empowered, you can take your foot off their necks and they will have the requisite skills to empower themselves, but that isn’t everyone. :o)