Be a champion! Volunteer at Autonomie and make a difference to the lives of young people other additional needs

Make 2022 your year to make a difference.

We are always on the lookout for enthusiastic volunteers to join our fantastic team.

As a volunteer at Autonomie, you’ll be part of a thriving and award-winning organisation dedicated to empowering young people with additional needs and supporting families raising a child or young person with additional needs.

With flexible opportunities available, volunteers are given full training and support. Access NI essential.

Be a Champion, volunteer at Autonomie!

To find out more and to register your interest, please visit the Autonomie website here.

Freedom2Choose activity session: Baking cookies for Group A young people on Sat 15 Jan at Shaftsbury Community Centre

GROUP A Autonomie Very Important Young People, Freedom2Choose starts back for you this coming Saturday 15 January.

Activity: Baking cookies

Venue: Shaftsbury Community & Recreational Centre, 97 Balfour Ave, Belfast

Time: 2pm - 4pm

Upcoming activity highlights at Freedom2Choose include:

• Building your own bird feeder

• Board games

• Arts and Crafts and lots more!

Please visit our website here to view Freedom2Choose activities schedule for January - April 2022

Want to join Freedom2Choose?

Suitable for young people with additional needs, visit our website here to find out more and to register your interest.

Email us at autonomieorg@gmail.com

Freedom2Choose is delivered as part of SAIL programme and is supported by partners including The National Lottery Community Fund NI.

POSTPONED: Family Voice Hub activities 11 - 15 January 2022

Please note that we have made the decision to postpone all Family Voice Hub events which were due to take place this week due to staffing/facilitator levels.

We apologise for any disappointment, but we will be rescheduling Tea-Tastic Tuesday, Yoga & Mindfulness, and Saturday Saunter walking club to next week - week beginning 17th January.

Freedom2Choose Programme session on Saturday 15th January will take place as normal.

Freedom2Choose programme activities schedule January - April 2022

Freedom2Choose programme is all about young people with additional needs having fun and having access to activities all young people should be able to access.

From social and recreational group-based activities to enjoying what the local community has to offer, Freedom2Choose offers these young people vital opportunities to social, feel part of a community and so much more.

The latest exciting activities programme schedule for January 2022 to - April 2022 is now available.

It’s vital young people aged 16-30 in Belfast and surrounding areas with additional needs can regularly access structured opportunities to:

• socialise with others (online and face-to-face)

• tackle social isolation worsened by Covid pandemic

• develop and learn new skills

• feel part of a community

Huge congratulations to Autonomie Patron Oliver Jeffers on being awarded an MBE for his Services to the Arts

We are so proud of our Patron Oliver Jeffers, who has been recognised with an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours List for his Services to the Arts.

We want to take this opportunity to offer a huge congratulations to Oliver Jeffers for his MBE.

Happy New Year from Autonomie!

Happy New Year from all of us at Autonomie!

We wish you a happy and safe year ahead.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support in 2021.

Team Autonomie wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

The Autonomie Team would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

We appreciate all the support you have given through the year!

Stay safe

Autonomie’s newest Award has arrived!

Our 3-year pilot project What Next? supported by The National Lottery Community Fund NI Empowering Young People Programme has been highly commended at the WHO Healthy Cities Awards 2021 in recognition of the our What Next? team’s work empowering the lives of young people with physical disabilities and allied additional needs in Belfast and surrounding areas.

“This accolade is a great tribute to the hard work of the What Next? team, past and present, without whom none of this would be possible.

“An amazing team of young people, volunteers and staff whose commitment, and drive to support and empower young people with additional needs has been exceptional especially in response to the challenges of the pandemic.

“Our ethos is ‘ability not disability’ and through access to What Next? programme, young people were able to be part of a community and access independent living experience, life skills training, volunteering, a youth forum as well as social and recreational opportunities to help these young people lead happy and fulfilling lives and reach their potential.

“We’re delighted to receive this highly commended award recognition.”- Lynne Morrison, Chief Officer at Autonomie

Saturday Santa event hailed a festive success by young people and their families

Saturday 10th December 2021

Santa Saturday was a great success (even with Covid Guidance in place), we had most of our young people and their families present, who enjoyed hot chocolate, mince pies and then a visit from Santa who gave out presents and even the other members of the family received gifts.

We also had a visit from our Patron Mr Oliver Jeffers and his family. A big thank you to all the staff and volunteers who really entered into the Christmas spirit by not only dressing up as Elves but also entertained the families with their own version of an Elf Dance.

Some of the feedback received:

“Thanks for making it such a special day for us all, you definitely went above and beyond and you got us into the Christmas Spirit, plus the Elf dance was something else"

“Thank you all so much - as per usual you were all amazing - those Elves!!!!! We had a fantastic day"

Tessie and the young people had also a craft stall selling some Christmas Ceramics, Wonderful Carrot Cake, and Hand made Christmas Cards.

Overall it was a great fun day for everyone.

Autonomie What Next? Programme ‘Highly Commended’ winner at World Health Organization Belfast Healthy City Awards 2021

We are delighted to announce What Next? Programme has been awarded highly commended winner at the World Health Organization Belfast Heathy City Awards 2021.

In attendance at the award ceremony on Friday 10 December which was held virtually was Lynne Morrison, Autonomie Chief Officer and Nicole Hammond Youth Development Officer at SAIL, who previously held the role of What Next? Programme Youth Project Officer.

Lynne Morrison, Chief Officer at Autonomie said: “We are delighted What Next? programme has been highly commended at the World Health Organization Belfast Healthy City Awards.

“This accolade is a great tribute to the hard work of the What Next? team, past and present, without whom none of this would be possible.

“An amazing team of young people, volunteers and staff whose commitment, and drive to support and empower young people with additional needs has been exceptional especially in response to the challenges of the pandemic.

“We’re delighted to receive this highly commended award recognition.”