What is the Adult Lived Experience Advisory Panel?
We want autistic people’s experiences and perspectives to play a meaningful part in shaping the future of Autism Anglia.
Our new Adult Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) will bring together a small group of autistic adults aged 18+ to share their experiences, ideas and perspectives with us.
The group will help inform areas including our:
- Services and support
- Communications and campaigns
- Strategy and future plans
- Fundraising
- Public-facing information and resources
You don’t need any previous experience of being part of an advisory group. We’re simply looking for autistic adults who would like to share their perspectives and help us understand what works, what could be better and what our communities need from us.
What will I do as part of the panel?
Members will be invited to share their views on different aspects of Autism Anglia’s work.
That could include:
💬 Sharing your experiences and perspectives
💡 Providing feedback on existing or proposed services
🔍 Helping us understand barriers, gaps and opportunities for improvement
📣 Giving your thoughts on campaigns, communications and public information
🩷 Helping us better understand the priorities of autistic people
Sometimes we’ll bring particular questions, ideas or materials to the group and ask what you think.
There are no right or wrong answers. We’re interested in your individual experiences and perspective.
Do I have to represent other autistic people?
No. You’ll be joining the panel as yourself.
You won’t be expected to speak on behalf of all autistic people, another organisation or a wider community.
We simply want to hear your views, your experiences and your ideas.
How big will the panel be and how often will they meet?
We’re initially looking for around eight members.
The panel will meet at least four times a year, with meetings normally held face-to-face.
Members will usually join the group for an initial one-year term.
As this is a new group, we’ll also listen to members’ feedback about how it works and review the approach as the group develops.
What support will be available?
We want participating in the panel to be as accessible and comfortable as possible.
Reasonable adjustments can be discussed with each member and may include:
- Accessible and plain-English information
- Quiet space at face-to-face meetings
- Discussing individual communication preferences
- Online participation where appropriate
- Support from a parent or carer where appropriate
When you join, we’ll give you an opportunity to tell us about anything that could help you participate.
Will I be paid for taking part?
We want to recognise the time, experience and contribution our panel members give us.
For each meeting attended, members will receive:
🎁 A £25 Amazon voucher
🚗 Reimbursement of reasonable travel expenses
☕ Refreshments during face-to-face meetings
What happens to our feedback?
This isn’t about asking for people’s experiences and then forgetting about them.
After each meeting, the Autism Anglia staff lead will produce a short summary of the main themes, recommendations and actions raised by the group.
These will be shared with our Senior Executive Team and relevant teams across Autism Anglia so that people’s feedback can help inform our work.
The panel is advisory rather than decision-making, but its purpose is to ensure autistic people’s lived experiences are considered as Autism Anglia develops its services, communications and future plans.
Interested in Joining Us?
If you’re an autistic adult aged 18+ and would like to help shape Autism Anglia’s future, we’d love to hear from you.
You don’t need professional expertise. You don’t need previous committee experience. And you don’t need to have all the answers.
You already have the experience we’re looking for: your own.
Click here to register your interest in joining the Adult Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP)
