Autism Alliance of Canada uses a collective impact approach to bring together Autistic people, caregivers, professionals, researchers, organizations, and institutions across Canada with the common goal of advancing equity on a systems-level.
This means we take principles of collaboration and build on them to:
- Coordinate efforts and pursue a range of strategies.
- Focus on impacts within communities and at a systems-level.
- Bring people with diverse viewpoints and skills together.
One way we use a collective impact approach is at the Canadian Autism Leadership Summit, where participants enact the following:
| Collective Impact | At the Summit… | |
|---|---|---|
| Common Agenda | We develop a shared vision for change that acknowledges the differences between people. | We reaffirm our shared vision and strengthen our collective voice towards a Canada where Autistic people exercise their full rights and realize their full potential. |
| Shared Measurement | We use a common vocabulary to measure progress. | We give each other the tools and resources to measure our progress together. By making sure we are all well-informed, we are able to use shared accountability to grow further. |
| Mutually Reinforcing Activities | We empower people to work on projects aligned with their strengths. | We share and learn about the different things we are doing to advance our common agenda. |
| Continuous Communication | We connect with each other openly and often. | We communicate and connect with each other through storytelling and networking. |
| Backbone Support | We have a coordination hub to help support all our efforts. | We hold a space for all of us to address complex issues facing Autistic people and their families. This strengthens our community as a whole. |