Young ambassadors
Applications now open!
We’re excited to open applications for our 2026-2028 Young Ambassadors programme. This is a great opportunity to work with our Policy and Campaigns team to learn more and be part of our work to create a society fit for all autistic people.
Applications will close on the 19th December 2025.
"Thanks so much for running the young ambassador programme, your guidance and support made all the difference - I had an absolute blast! Really appreciate the opportunity and everything you did to make it special."
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The National Autistic Society’s Young Ambassadors programme is a two-year programme for young autistic people. The aim of the programme is to develop campaigning knowledge and experience. We’ll help you to develop your skills in lots of different areas and be a part of National Autistic Society campaigns for change.
Across the two-year programme we will have a mixture of in-person (in Central London) and online meetings.
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If you are aged between 18-25, based in England, and are autistic, whether formally or self-diagnosed, you could be one of our next Young Ambassadors!
We are looking for a diverse group of young autistic people who represent a broad range of experiences and interests across education, healthcare, work, mental health, social care and more.
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You can apply to become a Young Ambassador by completing our online application form. We’ll keep your data safe (see www.autism.org.uk/privacy-notice for further details).
The first part of the form has multiple choice questions as well as open questions with a longer space for you to answer in. You can also answer the second part creatively, by sharing a file with us for example a video, poem or piece of artwork.
Most of the questions are optional, as the form has been designed for you to tell us more about yourself in a way that works for you. Leaving questions unanswered will not impact your chances of becoming a Young Ambassador.You can ask someone to help you complete this form or send over your creative submission. If there is anything we can do to make the recruitment process more accessible to you, please contact us at campaign@nas.org.uk.
Ambassadors will be selected from responses to the online application form. If you have been successful we will let you know by email.
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During the first year of the programme, you will have the opportunity to attend a range of workshops led by National Autistic Society Staff. Workshops will cover a range of different campaign skills.
Examples of skills we will work on together
- Campaigning basics – learning more about what campaigning is and different ways to influence change for autistic people.
- Different ways to share your personal stories, for example through writing, video or art
- How the National Autistic Society works to influence the Government and MPs and different tactics for doing this
- How to make engaging content to support your cause on social media
During the second and final year, Young Ambassadors create and deliver their own campaign. You will work with the other Young Ambassadors to lead a campaign in an area of your choice, supported by our Policy and Campaigns team. You can read about the previous Young Ambassador's campaign here. With a link to the NHS fit for autistic people page.By the end of the two-year programme, you will have a better understanding of the campaigns process, how campaigning contributes to social change, and you will have learnt skills to help you to campaign effectively.
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The programme also gives us the opportunity to learn from you – to hear your experiences and hopes for the future and make sure they are reflected in the policy and campaigns work we do.
Alongside regular meetings and workshops, we offer Young Ambassadors opportunities to take part in the following activities when they arise throughout the programme:
- Sharing your story for reports, media work, social media etc.
- Consulting on National Autistic Society work to give your perspective
- Supporting fundraising activities
- Attending National Autistic Society events
- Public speaking opportunities
- Any other opportunities that may come up!
Other Frequently Asked Questions
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We want to make sure that the Young Ambassadors Programme is an enjoyable and useful experience for all of the young people involved.
If you are chosen to be a Young Ambassador, we will discuss access needs and reasonable adjustments to make sure you get the best out of the programme.
We will also:
- Share information clearly and in advance.
- Consider the sensory environment for in person meetings and events. There will always be a separate quiet space available.
- Have a mixture of online and in person opportunities.
- Work with the group to set ground rules together including how we communicate with each other about sensitive topics and how to make sure everyone has a chance to contribute.
- Check in with you regularly about your experience and welcome any feedback you have.
In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns about this you can get in touch with us at campaign@nas.org.uk
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On average, there will be a meeting every two months. During busier times we may meet more often. We will also contact each other via email.
We ask that Young Ambassadors attend most meetings.
To get the most out of this opportunity we would recommend having at least 2-3 hours per month to spend on the Young Ambassador programme.
There might be busier and less busy times, but you will have a choice about how involved you are.
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The Young Ambassadors programme is not a paid opportunity. Occasionally we may be able to offer specific compensated opportunities to Young Ambassadors with relevant experience.
The National Autistic Society will cover expenses for in-person meetings for you and a carer if needed. This includes travel costs, meals and overnight accommodation when relevant. The reasonable costs that we can meet will always be agreed beforehand.
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The programme will run for two years. This group will work together from January 2026 and the programme will conclude by January 2028.
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The programme is run by the Policy and Campaigns team but some workshops and opportunities will be led by colleagues from other relevant teams including press, social media and events teams.
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We are looking for young autistic people that would like to learn more about campaigning. You don’t need to have any previous experience of campaigning to become a Young Ambassador. If successful, you will learn more about campaigning and develop your skills throughout the programme.
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We are looking for young autistic people aged between 18-25 who are passionate about achieving positive change for autistic people and interested in learning more about campaigning. Our Young Ambassadors group will represent a diverse range of experiences and interests.
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Applications to become a Young Ambassador will be open until the 19th December 2025. We will notify successful applicants by the 20th January 2026.
If you have any questions that haven't been answered by this page you can get in touch with us at campaign@nas.org.uk.