Introduction to campaigning

Why campaign?

Campaigning is critical if people with autism¹ and their families are to get a better deal from society, and from the services that exist to support them. People affected by autism themselves or as family members, carers or friends are the greatest campaigning resource at local level. You know what is already available, what is working and what still needs to be done. You are also the people that key decision makers, and particularly elected representatives, are ultimately answerable to.

The National Autistic Society (NAS) works at a national level to champion the rights and interests of people with autism and their families and ensure that policy and legislation reflect their needs. But national policies and laws are interpreted and delivered locally so your contribution is vital to achieve positive changes.

Campaigning can bring about changes on almost anything. You could campaign:

• to improve a service
• to stop a service closing
• for new services to be developed
• for better training for professionals like teachers or police officers
• for something that has arisen as a need only in your area
• for something that has been identified as a priority all over the country - taking part in orchestrated activity, so local people and groups everywhere campaign for the same thing at the same time.

We hope that this toolkit will provide you with the practical information and support you need to campaign. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to it.

Good luck with your campaigning and please let us know how you get on! Email campaign@nas.org.uk or write to Campaign Team, The National Autistic Society, 393 City Road, London, EC1V 1NG.

1 The term 'autism' is used to refer to all conditions on the autism spectrum, including Asperger syndrome.