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Help guide Autism research by joining one of our three new advisory groups at Autism Alliance of Canada

Help guide Autism research by joining one of our three NEW advisory groups:

  • Autistic Youth Self-Advocate
  • Autistic Adult Self-Advocate
  • Circle of Care

We need you to:

  • Help inform research priorities and initiatives with your personal, lived experience
  • Help craft and guide governance and decision-making for our organization
  • Learn (more) about basic research processes
  • Be part of the national conversation

Meetings will be held virtually, five times per year for up to three hours per meeting. Appointments will be for one-year terms, with possibility for renewal. Honorarium will be provided.

Specific advisory group opportunities listed below:

1) Are you Autistic and between the ages of 16-29?

Please apply to join our new Autistic Youth Self-Advocate Advisory Group

Your personal, lived experience is a form of expertise that is essential to ensuring our work at the Autism Alliance of Canada is relevant, ethical and improves outcomes for the autism community.

We need Autistic youth who:

  • Have experience in virtual work environments
  • The ability to contribute to group decision-making
  • Have some basic research experience
  • The ability to serve in an advisory capacity and contribute to group decision-making

We strongly encourage you to describe any accessibility supports you would require to participate comfortably and we would work with you to provide the necessary accommodations.

Selected candidates will be contacted for a brief interview.

For more information, contact: research@autismalliance.ca

2. Are you Autistic and over the age of 30?

Please apply to join our new Autistic Self-Advocate Advisory Group

Your personal, lived experience is a form of expertise that is essential to ensuring our work at the Autism Alliance of Canada is relevant, ethical and improves outcomes for the autism community.

We need Autistic adults who:

  • Have experience in virtual work environments
  • The ability to contribute to group decision-making
  • Have some basic research experience
  • The ability to serve in an advisory capacity and contribute to group decision-making

We strongly encourage you to describe any accessibility supports you would require to participate comfortably and we would work with you to provide the necessary accommodations.

Selected candidates will be contacted for a brief interview.

For more information, contact: research@autismalliance.ca

3.  Are you a parent or in the circle of care for an Autistic child or adult? 

Please apply to join our new Circle of Care Advisory Group

We are seeking individuals who are parents/guardians and/or caregivers, including siblings, of an Autistic child or adult, as well as researchers who are part of the circle of care.

Your personal, lived experience of caregiving is a form of expertise that is essential to ensuring our work at the Autism Alliance of Canada is relevant, ethical and improves outcomes for the autism community.

We need caregivers who:

  • Have experience in virtual work environments
  • The ability to contribute to group decision-making
  • Have some basic research experience
  • The ability to serve in an advisory capacity and contribute to group decision-making

We strongly encourage you to describe any accessibility supports you would require to participate comfortably and we would work with you to provide the necessary accommodations.

Selected candidates will be contacted for a brief interview.

For more information, contact: research@autismalliance.ca

More about the three advisory groups

We want to learn from you. 

Your ideas and experiences are important and can create a real impact on how research is conducted for and with Autistic individuals across Canada. 

Participating in one of our advisory groups provides a meaningful opportunity to shape how autism research is guided and conducted, and to contribute your insights, knowledge and lived experience to the national conversation.

What you will do

In this first year of our advisory groups, you’ll be helping us build the group from the ground up! This means you’ll be reading and helping to write important rules to make sure the group runs smoothly and fairly for years to come (this is called governance).

In the first year (phase one) of the advisory groups, members will help us to:

  • Include Autistic perspectives in all of our research priorities and activities
  • Co-develop and design uniquely Autistic-informed governance documentation for our organization 
  • Create meaningful and ethical Autistic person-first inclusion across all of our work, always
  • Contribute (later phases of the advisory groups) to the terms of reference and compensation guidelines of a national standard guidelines project 

Time commitment

Participation will require attending five virtual meetings from March to September 2026. This would require approximately 12-15 hours of commitment including virtual attendance, preparations, communication and reflection time.  

Getting paid 

We will pay you for your time and expertise (this is called an honorarium). We’ll talk about payment options and tax information to make sure you’re comfortable with it before you start. You will have the opportunity to discuss or decline compensation with a member of our research team

Accessibility

We want this to be easy for you. If you need any support – like breaks, flexible meeting times or help with technology – please let us know.  We will do our best to find accommodations that work for you.

Apply, next steps

  1. Contact: research@autismalliance.ca and survey questions will be sent for you to fill out.
  1. The survey includes questions about your experiences, transferable skills, your motivations and any accommodation you might require to participate as a member. The survey will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.
  2. Selected candidates will then be contacted for a 30-minute interview. 

You are welcome to use support from another person to help complete this survey and the interview. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment. 

If you face any additional barriers with completing this survey, or would like to share your interest in another way, please contact us directly at: research@autismalliance.ca

Recruitment will begin March 2026 until all vacancies are filled.  We aim to include up to seven members for each advisory group.  

Our commitment to partnership

We follow a set of guidelines called Patient-Oriented Research (POR). It means we see you as a partner, not just someone we ask questions to.  Your own personal, lived experience as Autistic and/or caregiver is the most important kind of expert knowledge you can bring. It will help us make our work grounded in lived experiences.