This is an organisation built to facilitate the quadripartite alliance of caregivers, autistics, service providers and the government. [Service providers also include those providing employment opportunities and conducting research on the disabled community.]
Unlike other organisations, influential people are intentionally excluded from the membership of this organisation so that the voices of the common person in the street can be represented. It focuses more on short-term pressing issues that require intervention by policymakers, established organisations and influential people.
Examples of such issues may include anti-discrimination policies (e.g. stop insurer discrimination), government support for caregivers (e.g. maid levy and COE exemptions), employment initiatives that require government approval (e.g. creating farming communities for autistic adults) and education support (e.g. provision of classroom sensory accommodations, Chinese language exemption).
Unique Membership Rules include:
1) All members must be actively participating to be eligible for continual membership which is renewed every month.
2) Members must not earn more than double the median income of Singapore residents.
3) Members must not be on the owner, partner or on the board of directors of an organisation with more than $1 million in assets. Exceptions might be granted on a case-by-case basis if the organisation is non-profit in nature.
4) Except for specific roles meant for such people, members must not be an active politician, civil servant, or be working for organisations involved in autism work including serving on their board of directors. Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis if the appointments are taken up for the purpose of implementing this Masterplan.
5) All members must have an official role that is different from every other member; similar roles can be allowed if the focus of the role is different.
6) Quotas for autistic representation will be imposed in the future only when there are many openly autistic people with leadership qualities and competency. We hope to have 50% autistic representation by 2050.
Each member is considered a leader of the community, and are expected to represent the community in their designated roles under one of the four councils:
- A “Shadow Cabinet Council” where members take charge of liaising with specific policymakers and politicians
- A “Masterplan Council” where members take up strategic issues and initiatives under the Action For Autistics Masterplan
- A “Community Council” where members link up with other communities
- A “United Nations Council” where members connect beyond Singapore
Members may be called to participate in focus groups, negotiations and other activities that can have a major impact on the autism community.
For instance, a team of autistics together with a team of caregivers can meet with representatives of the largest insurance companies in Singapore to negotiate a win-win arrangement to provide competitive insurance cover for autistics while having supportive policymakers mediate. Likewise, the delegation can also stand together with other disability groups to convince policymakers to pass anti-discrimination laws to protect the disabled community.