Where we came from

Autonomie was founded in 2014 by Mr Trevor Boyle, who having personal and professional experience of living with a disability, realised that once young people left full time education (16+) there was a massive gap in services. 

Unless they were academic and were able to cope with mainstream further education/training a large number ended up either isolated at home or at risk of becoming socially isolated which then resulted in poor mental, physical health and deterioration of their conditions/disabilities.

Funding was achieved for a Pilot project – Freedom2Choose which was a project delivered every Saturday within a youth centre, based on a ‘mainstream youth club’ where these young people could come along meet up with friends and meet new friends while participating in a variety of activities. 

After running this project for 3 years, funding was sought to diversify and to address the ‘isolation’ during the week, and with success – ‘What Next?’ project was developed with the help of the young people who were able to describe how they had felt before attending Freedom2Choose, and what they felt was needed and how it should be delivered.

We received funding for 3 years to deliver ‘What Next?’ which operated 3 days per week in a fully accessible centre, which Trevor had resourced via a Housing Association.  Activities within this project were interactive, practical, and fun based independent living skills, which were adapted to suit the needs and abilities of those participating.  Activities included:

·       Personal Development/Awareness

·       Disability Awareness

·       Simple Cooking/Food preparation

·       Housekeeping skills

·       Budgeting/Dealing with Money

·       Social & Life Skills

Over the 3 years we had 270 young people complete the project, some of whom returned as Peer mentors for Freedom2Choose and to the follow-on project of SAIL (Social and Independent Living). Like ‘What Next?’ SAIL concentrates on independence and social & life skills but this project which was funded for 3 years is delivered throughout 7 local council areas throughout Northern Ireland.

Following on from Freedom2Choose and SAIL and through consultation with the parents of the young people, it was agreed that another gap in services was a ‘one stop’ venue where parents of new-born, newly diagnosed or those whose child/young person was approaching major transitions in their life could find practical, friendly, and up to date advice or guidance.  Feedback was that if your wanted this, you had to search and find out for yourself and at times this turned out to be out of date, unsuitable.

Having successfully received funding ‘The Family Voice Hub’ was opened in October 2020.  This service works with parents and siblings of children & young people with a physical disability or/and a mild to moderate learning disability.  Based on the 2nd floor of our centre in the Queens University area of Belfast, parents & siblings are provided with a comfortable, safe, and confidential area in which to seek advice and/or guidance on what issues that are prevalent to them.

Siblings of a child/young person with a disability can sometimes feel very forgotten, as everything which the family do is planned around the child/young person with a disability, and their views are not heard.  A number of siblings who we consulted felt that they could not communicate with their parents as they were seen as selfish or cruel for not giving their brother or sister priority.  Family Voice Hub provides them with the opportunity to meet others in a similar situation by providing space, and activities e.g., pizza nights, cinema nights etc.

Autonomie could be described as a Holistic Family Organisation as they work with every member of the family and hold regular ‘family events.  While young people attend Freedom2Choose parents are offered the opportunity to join a ‘walking group’ with local walks ending with a warm coffee/tea this provides the chance for parents to informally chat to each other and sometimes find that others have already been through what they are being challenged with currently.

Our mission is: 

To empower young people living with a disability, their carers, parents and siblings in Belfast and across Northern Ireland.

Autonomie was formally called The Lilac Service and was set up originally to support young people with physical disabilities to access mainstream education.

With the support of The Lilac Service over 260 young people with disabilities across Northern Ireland decided with the support of their parents, which school best suited their needs.

The team even won UK wide recognition with the UK Outstanding Educational Team Award for their work in integrating pupils with disabilities into mainstream schools.

In reviewing the needs of this service, the Management Review Committee decided to widen the focus of its work to include working with young people with additional needs who were preparing to leave school, who had just left school or those who were experiencing isolation, to enhance their prospect of finding employment, develop their social and life skills and to ensure they had a place in society

In 2016 we adopted the name “Autonomie” and it reflects the choices that these young people can be encouraged to make before, during and after school. By providing skills training, confidence building and independent living options we can make a difference.