As part of our new Meet The Team series, you’ll meet members of our team who work hard to deliver practical programmes supporting young people with additional needs in Belfast and surrounding areas.
To kick of the Q&A series, meet Gary!
“Without Autonomie I would be trapped in my room all day everyday.” -Gary Burns
Gary Burns
Freedom2Choose Volunteer
Age: 26
Town/City you live: Belfast
Q1. How long have you been volunteering at Autonomie and how did you find out about Autonomie?
2/3 years.
Q2. What does your role involve?
• Collecting money
• Offering people and making them juice, tea and coffee
• Peer Mentor for new young people who join the group to help them settle in.
• “Empower young people to live richer and fuller lives and be free of the parents for a few hours.”
Q3. Why did you decide to volunteer?
I wanted to give something back to the world which gave to me.
Q4. What do you enjoy most about volunteering for Autonomie?
• Collecting in the money. It is an opportunity for me to work on my money management skills that I have learnt at What Next?
• It gets me out of my bedroom.
• Looking after everyone as I get great satisfaction out of it and motivation which keeps me going.
Q5. What makes Autonomie special in your view?
• The opportunity to support one another to get a task complete.
• Happy staff members.
Q6. What would you say to encourage someone to volunteer for Autonomie?
• If you are up for it, we do boys and girls nights with a chance to sleep over and try independent living experience.
• Great opportunity to help young people build friendships social skills and independent living skills.
• Mate, there is this great volunteering opportunity in a place called Autonomie and I’d advise you give them a call because it is the best experience you will ever have.
