Membership
As a member, you don’t just get these benefits…
Develop yourself
3 members’ meetings a year, with expert speakers on a range of topics directly relevant to your work, such as: understanding the law; managing local relationships, implementing new national guidance and requirements. Open to CEOs and an additional senior member of their staff, plus access to recordings of the events’ presentations/ speakers.
High value networking with sector CEOs with regular catch-ups and opportunities to share best practice, and hear from guest speakers on topics chosen by the CEOs.
Support from those who understand your role, with opportunities for CEOs and other seniors leaders to receive or provide mentoring.
Develop your team
Access to a developing community of practice on specialist autism services and support, helping you reflect, learn and explore new approaches.
Commercial opportunities including the chance to bid for autism related, external business opportunities, eg. training. And the chance to provide training to other members of the Alliance.
Support your staff recruitment and retention through positive coverage in our newsletter and the chance to advertise your vacancies.
Profile-raising opportunities, including your logo and profile* on our website, and the chance to feature news stories from your organisation in our newsletter*.
Some member benefits are still in development.
Develop your organisation
Regular updates on issues of policy, practice and campaigning relevant to your work.
Autism specific resources produced the the Autism Alliance UK to support your work, including information and advice to advocate for better commissioning of services for autistic people.
Regular communications including an e-bulletin for CEOs and their leadership team, plus a monthly newsletter which can go to all of your staff - helping them feel part of the wider autism practice community.
Professional development and peer support for your staff via our specialist forums. Currently we run: a Practice Forum; a Campaigns and Communications Group; a HR Forum; and a Policy Group.
Free/low cost training opportunities specific for the sector, including online attendance at regular ‘Topic-Calls’ on subjects chosen by members, featuring guest speakers.
You also get to…
Influence policy
The opportunity to participate in national campaigns to influence government policy, devised and led by the Autism Alliance.
Contribute to government consultations as part of the Autism Alliance, ensuring that the widest range of voices are heard.
Channel the views and experiences of autistic people and families you work with as part of the Alliance’s work.
Influence key stakeholders via the Alliance’s work and gain the resources and tools for you to do this locally too.
Inform evidence
Contribute to the Practice Forum run by the Autism Alliance and help members explore key issues in practice, from the features of an excellent specialist organisation to the psychological flexibility of highly effective staff.
The opportunity to take part in projects run by the Autism Alliance that focus on practice.
Help share and drive innovation across the sector.
Involve the autistic people you work with in developing practice, ensuring that their voices are heard.
Develop practice
Take part in research projects organised by the Autism Alliance, helping provide new evidence to influence policy.
Involve the autistic people you work with in providing new evidence.
Identify new areas of research for the Autism Alliance to investigate.
Find out about research projects run by external organisations, via the Autism Alliance’s network and communications.
Because you’re not just joining an Alliance -
you’re joining a campaigning community.
Read our Guide for Potential Members
Want to see our current programme of meetings and events for members?
Interested in joining?
We welcome expressions of interest from organisations interested in joining us.
What our members say
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“As a leader of a charity there are many challenges to navigate and it can be a really lonely place at times. Sharing those with colleagues who face the same issues gives me inspiration; and provides the opportunity to share best practice and collaborate to improve systems, governance – and ultimately the future success of my charity.”
Christine Edwards Daem
CEO
Kent Autistic Trust -
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“Becoming a member of the Autism Alliance has been so helpful. We are now part of a forum where we can share good practice and learn from a range of autism specialist providers. As a group we are moving forward together to improve the lives of autistic people across the country.”
Henry Webster
Operations Manager (Community Services)
Autism West Midlands -
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“Our membership with Autism Alliance UK gives us the opportunity to amplify the voices of autistic people, influence government policy on a national scale, and drive innovation within the autism sector. By collaborating with likeminded organisations, we ensure that our work is not only informed by lived experience experts but also contributes to a stronger, more unified voice for positive change.”
Jenny Hewitt
Director of Services
Daisy Chain -
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“We really value the opportunity to be part of a group where the number one focus of everyone in the network is on autism and autistic people. Sharing knowledge, learning and ideas with others who work in this exciting and fast moving sector is incredibly helpful.”
Karina Hourd
Group Business Development Director
Avenues Trust Group -
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“The Alliance is a great way for us to share knowledge and ways of working in support of autistic children and young people.”
Mark Ospedale
Director of People and Culture
Ambitious about Autism -
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“Being a member of the Autism Alliance gives us the opportunity to be part of a wide network of other specialists; we are all already on the same page and can focus on increasing our knowledge and developing our practice.”
Tamsin Gregory-Conquest
Head of Positive Behaviour Support
Kent Autistic Trust -
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“Members comprise a good mix of organisations of varying size, areas of focus, and geographical spread. This gives us unrivalled access to sector developments, new information, and the experiences of autistic people and their families. As part of a sector that is not fully understood or funded, we also consider it important to be a part of this collective movement. We are already seeing the difference the Autism Alliance is making.”
Danae Leaman-Hill
Director of External Affairs and Development
Ambitious about Autism -
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“Membership brings invaluable, up to date support and guidance regarding autism, experts in the field, peer support from like-minded organisations, and resources that support our day to day delivery of services.”
Gill Bryant
CEO
Aurora Nexus -
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“Working in the voluntary sector in the UK is rewarding, but tough. Constant changes to policy and legislation make our operating landscape a challenge, not to mention the uphill battle for funding. Being a member of the Autism Alliance provides an opportunity to inform real change that we couldn’t do on our own. Alliance meetings are informative, relevant and impactful and make a real difference to the wider autism community.”
Robin Bush
CEO
Remarkable Autism
Who can join?
Any registered charity or not-for-profit organisation that supports autistic people and their families, either as its primary mission or as part of the work it does.
This includes organisations that provide autism specific care and support and/or information and advice to autistic people and their families – as well as organisations that provide information to the public about autism, carry out research into autism, or influence policy and practice in autism.
We have members who run schools, provide day care, operate support groups, build and manage supported living homes, provide employment training and opportunities, and carry out research.
The one thing that connects them all is that they are committed to building a society where autistic people can thrive.
Find out more about joining
We welcome expressions of interest from organisations interested in joining us.
If you represent a registered charity or not for profit organisation that supports autistic people and their families, either as its primary mission or as part of the work you do, we’d like to hear from you.
Please fill in your name and email address, and few lines about your organisation.
We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
We’re interested in hearing from organisations that provide autism specific care, support and services and/or information and advice to autistic people and their families, as well as organisations that provide information to the public about autism, carry out research into autism, or influence policy and practice in autism.
FAQs
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Yes, we are growing our membership offer so that more staff of our member organisations can take part in Alliance activities.
We run professional groups that currently cover: HR, communications and campaigns; practice; and policy.
We will soon be launching a monthly newsletter that can go to any staff in our member organisations. Many of our resources will be useful to staff, as well as some of the research opportunities and projects we run.
CEOs are also encouraged to bring an additional member of their leadership team along to our face-to-face members’ meetings.
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We welcome charities and not for profit organisations that support autistic people and their families, either as their primary mission or as part of the work they do.
This includes organisations that provide autism specific care, support and services and/or information and advice to autistic people and their families, as well as organisations that provide information to the public about autism, carry out research into autism, or influence policy and practice in autism.
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It depends on who wants to lead the relationship within the Autism Alliance.
We have some members who are part of larger organisations (such as schools within a multi academy trust) but they are the school focusing on autism. So in that case, the membership is in their name.
However, other members joined in their own right but then got taken within a larger organisation. That larger organisation then wanted its staff to learn all about autism - so the membership is now in their name.
If in doubt, get in touch wih us and we can talk it through.
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The Autism Alliance UK covers all of the nations and regions within the United Kingdom.
We have members who run schools, provide day care, operate support groups, build and manage supported living homes, provide employment training and opportunities, and carry out research.
The one thing that connects them all is that they are committed to building a society where autistic people can thrive.
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We appreciate that some organisations are too small to be able to afford membership but would like to join.
In 2024 we will be launching a pilot for smaller organisations to join as members. We want to use the pilot to find out what would work for smaller organisations and how we might be able to provide that.
If your organisation is interested in taking part in this pilot, please contact us for a conversation.
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Membership is only open to organisations. However, if you want to support our work and keep up to date with our news and activities, you can register as a supporter here.
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We know that things are tough out there, and as a membership body we have to offer excellent value. Our fees are in proportion to the income of the organisation, and pro rata fees are applied for organisations joining mid-year. We will also consider other ways of supporting the Alliance’s work in lieu of fees.
We have held our 2023 membership fees for 2024. See them here.
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We are always happy to talk to those who share our vision.
Find out how to get in touch on our contact page.