Young people receive 10” Tablets to access interactive online workshops and video chats at Autonomie during Covid-19 lock down

Lynne Morrison Autonomie Chief Officer has delivered Lenono Tablets to young people who take part in our programmes to help them access our interactive online activities during Covid-19.

Funded by Community Fund NI the 10” tablets enable them to link into our daily/weekly interactive workshops and Zoom chats.  

These are loaned arrived pre-loaded with all the necessary software & apps.  

If your son/daughter would like to be linked to these workshops or chats and could use the tablets please request one. 

The tablets are Lenovo Smart Tab M10 and include a sound/stand which means parents can set the tablet up and the young people can use it without concern about dropping them etc. 

Young people have also received a Stylus Pen so that those with difficulty using fingers on buttons may use the tablets.

The tablets are only available to our current members and will be returned to Autonomie at the end of Covid-19 so that they can be used within our other programmes.  

Young people pot up seeds supplied in Well-being packs

From planting seeds to baking delicious cakes, our talented young people have been busy trying out new things, further developing skills they already have and most importantly choosing to take part and have a go.

Young people Jordan, Robyn, Malcolm, Andrew, Owen and Megan have all potted up seeds we had provided them with and seeds they received as part of the Well-being packs we delivered which were kindly funded by Forward South Partnership.

Look at the fantastic job they have all done!

Some of Malcolm’s seeds that he planted on Friday have already began to show! Fantastic work everyone.

We’re excited to see how it all grows.

Megan, Niamh and Stephanie take part in Great Autonomie Bake-off and develop their independent task skills

Megan has not only been busy planting seeds, she also been busy over the weekend making scones from the scone mix from the well-being pack and her family said the scones were delicious with cream and jam

Today, Megan made cupcakes which were her mum says were nice but the buttercream on the top was a bit tricky!

Well done Megan!

Niamh and Stephanie have also joined in the Great Autonomie Bake-off with Niamh making a Strawberry and Cream Victoria Sponge Cake!

Young person Malcolm who spotted a picture of Niamh’s cake on the Autonomie family group WhatsApp wanted Niamh to know that her “Strawberry and Cream Victoria sponge looks amazing and he would LOVE a piece!!.”

Well done Niamh!

Stephanie who has already made beautiful iced topped German Biscuits made a scone loaf!

Here’s what Stephanie’s mum had to say: “We took a leaf out of Nicoles book today ..we had a little disaster with our scones..the mixture was too sticky to cut so we bunged it into the oven and made a scone loaf! Once we added jam and cream Steffi thought it deserved a 10! Presentation wasn't too bad after all!”

Well done Stephanie!

#GreatAutonomieBakeOff

Our first Zoom Bingo hailed a success

On Saturday 30 May 202 we hosted our first ever Autonomie Lockdown Bingo on Zoom.

16 families took part and the event hailed a huge success with parents praising the event.

Speaking at the event Nicole Hammond Autonomie Youth Project Officer said: “Happy to host and delighted to have so many families join us on tonight’s Zoom Bingo! Well done to the winners.

“The feedback we received allowed us to believe great fun was had by everyone. Thank you all for joining us.”

Celebrating our volunteers on National Volunteers Week 2020

Our volunteers are wonderful and we can’t thank them enough for everything they do!

This week we celebrate our volunteers past and present. Each and everyone of you make such a difference.

We feel so lucky to have you.

Thank you for everything you do.

#VolunteersWeek

Volunteers Week: Q&A with Freedom2Choose Volunteer Niamh

This Volunteers Week we are celebrating our wonderful volunteers.

Volunteers like Niamh!

Niamh is a volunteer on the Freedom2Choose programme.

You can read Niamh’s story on our Blog!

Find out how Niamh supports our work and what she likes best about her role at Autonomie.

#VolunteersWeek #AutonomieVolunteersSpotlight #Freedom2ChooseProg

Young people enjoy Well-being box arts & crafts and jewellery making

Young person Stephanie has been putting the contents of her Well-being box to good use and her mum has this update:

“We’ve been doing art today. Steffi loves word searches and the words in the books are sometimes too small so these were just right! Thank you so much x x.”

Stephanie we are delighted the word searches are just right.

Young people Niamh and Robyn have both made beautiful bracelets from the Well-being boxes they received.

Great work girls.

Freedom2Choose Prog to host Wee Critters interactive online workshop for members

Learning about nature and wildlife first-hand is one of the things our young people most enjoy at Autonomie.

From visiting Exploris Aquarium, Belfast’s Botanic Gardens Tropical Ravine to having the Amazon Jungle Show visit - members have had lots of experiences and adventures.

Right now, when this isn’t possible, young people can enjoy a virtual visit and interactive workshop with Wee Critters on Saturday 6th June 2020 Allan will be showing us some of his animals and telling us some interesting facts.

We hope this will feel a little like a normal Saturday at Freedom2Choose! The Zoom call starts at 2.00 pm and we hope you can all join in! Lots of animals, fun and adventure await!

#Freedom2ChooseProg #AutonomieCoronavirusSupportHub

Young people take part in Autonomie Lockdown Bake-off

Lots of our young people have turned their hand to cooking and especially baking during the coronavirus lockdown crisis, with many even joining in the Autonomie Lockdown Bake-off weekly task.

Nicole our Youth Project Officer has this message for the young people who are taking part in the Great Autonomie Bake-off:

“Don’t worry if your baking creation doesn’t turn out the way you want it to. “Taking part is all that matters.

“My first attempt at baking a cake turned out like this but it still tasted good and it gave us all a laugh.

“I am super proud of you all for all of your fantastic baking achievements and can’t wait to taste your yummy cakes, buns, shortbread and biscuits when we can bake them at Lilac House when it opens again.”

So how did our young people get on? Amazingly! Check out the picture gallery to see young people at each stage of the baking process.

Well done everyone, we are super proud of your fantastic achievements.

Members can loan tablets to take part in our digitally interactive workshops and sessions

We have some good news.

We are delighted to have received some additional funding from Community Fund NI to provide our Young People with 10” tablets to enable them to link into our daily/weekly interactive workshops and Zoom chats.  

These will be loaned to any young person who would like access to these services and they will arrive pre-loaded with all the necessary software & apps.  

If your son/daughter would like to be linked to these workshops or chats and could use the tablets please request one. 

The tablets are Lenovo Smart Tab M10 which also come with a sound/stand which means parents can set the tablet up and the young people can use it without concern about dropping them etc. 

We will also be giving everyone a Stylus Pen so that those with difficulty using fingers on buttons may use these.

Please be aware that these tablets are only available to our current members and will need to be returned to Autonomie at the end of Covid-19 so that they can be used within our other programmes.  

The tablets will be available very soon and you request one by contacting Lynne Morrison, our Chief Officer by email at autonomieorg@gmail.com 

#GAAD2020

#AutonomieCoronavirusSupportHub 

#CommunityFundNI