Our Virtual AGM will take place on 10th July 2020 at 11.00 am

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Our AGM will take place virtually this year due to COVID-19 regulations.

We look forward to welcoming everyone and would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support and dedication.

Date: Friday 10th of July Time: 11.00 am Location: Zoom App (meeting ID and passwords will be provided to all attendees before AGM).

For queries please contact Autonomie Chief Officer Lynne Morrison by email at autonomieorg@gmail.com

#AutonomieAGM2020 #AutonomieAGM #AutonomieTrustees #TeamAutonomie #AutonomieVolunteers #AutonomieSupporters #FriendsOfAutonomie

Nicole checks-in with our young volunteers Aisling and Gary with Zoom meeting

At Autonomie, volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. Our work is only possible thanks to the dedication and commitment of all in our volunteering team.

Our ‘Be A Champion’ volunteer programme supports and empowers our young people on their volunteering journey.

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As we continue to deliver our vital services interactively online using technology, the role of our volunteers is even more crucial as they help lead, motivate and mentor their peers here at Autonomie during this unprecedented time of COVID-19.

On 29 June 2020, Nicole hosted a Zoom call with two of our young volunteers Aisling and Gary.

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Nicole has this overview:

“During this call we had a check-in with each other and caught up on all our lockdown gossip.

“We then spent the majority of the call discussing new roles for our volunteers whilst hosting sessions over zoom. I outlined the importance of volunteers and how we appreciate our volunteers and the work in which they complete.

“Both volunteers and now ready to get started in their new volunteering roles.

“Thanks Gary and Aisling for volunteering for us!”

#BeAChampionProg #TeamAutonomie #AutonomieVolunteers #WhatNextProg #Freedom2ChooseProg #AutonomieCoronavirusSupportHub

Wee Critters Zoom interactive show is back on Saturday 4th of July following huge demand from young people

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We are delighted to announce we will host another Wee Critters Zoom session with Alan on Saturday 4 July 2020, starting on Zoom at 2.00 pm.

This education show proved a real hit last time with our young people last time.

Expect lots more learning, laughs and fun.

We can’t wait to meet some more of Alan’s animals and wee critters. #Freedom2ChooseProg

Indoor and outdoor Zoom games session including naming Nicole’s gnome!

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On the afternoon on Friday 26 June 2020, young people took part in a Zoom Games session Nicole, Áine and Emma.

Nicole explains a breakdown of activities during the session:

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“During this session young people took part in a discussion on whether they created their own board game or not as part of Freedom2Choose set task.

“We also discussed what each young person’s favourite game was and how we could implement these games into a virtual game.

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“I hosted a game of scattegeries offering young people a challenge. Some young people got the opportunity pick a letter or a number to initiate the game.

“I lost against everyone.

“Our final game which we played was “guess the flower”. All young people had the opportunity to guess what type of flower I was showing from my garden.

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“Alongside this we provided my garden gnome with a name as he didn’t have one.”

Latest Zoom Coffee Break features New York themed activities

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On Friday 26 June 2020, some young people joined in our regular Coffee Beeak and Social Zoom app video call.

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Áine who hosted the session supported by Nicole explains what everyone got up to at the session:

“This first session of the day was a New York City themed Coffee Morning / Show and Tell.

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“We decided on Wednesday that we would discuss New York today as a few of the young people were upset about missing their holidays and thought this would cheer them up.

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“Each young person brought one or two things to show the group and tell us about, some of them were statues of NYC buildings, or trinkets from holidays there. We enjoyed listening to each other speak, hearing about lots of cool things everyone had been up to.

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“We watched a New Year’s Eve countdown in Times Square. I also shared some pictures from last summer of my trip to New York and we discussed some of the broadway musicals that we had seen. Everyone listened very well and showed great enthusiasm so early in the morning!

“We are all looking forward to games with Nicole later on.“

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Latest Zoom coffee morning and afternoon Health and Fitness activities session promotes inclusion and wellbeing

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On Wednesday 24 June, we hosted a further 2 Zoom sessions.

Coffee Break and Social at 10.00 am -

11.00 am and health and fitness themed activities session at 2.00 pm - 3.00 pm facilitated by Áine and supported by Nicole.

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Áine explains:

Today we had a health and fitness session.

“The young people took it in turns to tell us all what their favourite type of exercise was and what they’ve been doing to keep fit during lockdown.

“We then cleared a space around us to prevent any spillages or trips and falls. The young people followed instructions well as they stretched and warmed up for the activities ahead.

“I played a very loud and colourful YouTube video of dance-along nursery rhymes and everyone joined in.

“After each song we all had a big drink of water and checked if everyone was ok.

“During ‘Old McDonald had a farm’ we held a competition for who could make the biggest and best animal noises, our volunteer Gary helped to judge and Megan and Owen were our joint winners.

“We then followed Stephanie and Tessie’s direction when stretching and warming down from our activity.

“I held a game of ‘guess the item’ as I rustled some food packets from my cupboards.

“The young people were very fast at guessing the items. We then discussed whether each item was Healthy, Unhealthy, or in between.

“It is very important that we know what is good for us and everyone clearly had lots of knowledge on this already.

“We wound down the Zoom session with a chat about what we were all getting up to the rest of the day.

“One young person will be following the Special Olympics’ Facebook page later for some more exercise. “Others were looking forward to relaxing and watching some TV.”

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#AutonomieLive #AutonomieCoronavirusSupportHub #WhatNextProg

Week 14 and with another 9 live interactive activities sessions there is something for everyone!

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It’s week 3 of our live interactive social and activities Zoom sessions. Back today Tuesday 23 June and running each day through to Saturday with 9 sessions in total each week!

At 10.00 am today this week kicks off with our popular Zoom Coffee Break and Social.

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It’s a great way for our members to enjoy structured group social time with their peers outside the family-unit with lively chat, catch-ups and even interactive games facilitated by our professionally trained team.

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Thanks to Community Fund NI for helping make it possible by funding 10” Lenovo Tablets, Stylus pens and stands to loan our members enabling them to access these vital activities that helps build self-confidence, independence, improve digital skills as well as provide a vital social link helping reduce social isolation and poor mental health compounded by the impact and restrictions of coronavirus on their daily routines.

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There’s lot of fun and practical activities this week. Check out the full activities schedule available at our website here: bit.ly/2MLFKkw

#AutonomieLive #AutonomieCoronavirusSupportHub

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Thank you to all our social media supporters

Welcome to all our new Facebook and Twitter followers.

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Since our services moved online 14 weeks ago due to COVID-19, we have welcomed many new followers to our Facebook and Twitter pages and we want to say thank you!

Thank you for continuing to support our work empowering young people across Belfast and surrounding areas with additional needs.

At Autonomie, we’re a friendly and professional team of people committed to offering high-quality practical support to help 16-25 year olds access the same opportunities available to all other young people.

Ability not Disability is our ethos!

Right now, when our services are delivered interactively online, it’s thanks to our supporters (you) on Facebook and Twitter who like, comment and share our posts - helping us reach even more vulnerable young people who are facing huge challenges such as social isolation and poor mental health - amplified even more so by the ongoing effects of coronavirus.

Thank YOU and please do keep sharing and Retweeting our posts and help us to continue to reach even more young people and families who might need to access our services.

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#AutonomieSupporters #TeamAutonomie #AutonomieCommunity #AutonomieCoronavirusSupportHub

Young people take part in Fairy cakes baking session with Naomi

Well done everyone for taking part in today’s Autonomie Live Zoom Baking Fairy Cakes with Naomi.

Naomi said: “Everyone enjoyed baking fairy cakes today. “They all had a go at making them and each young person helped to read out the recipe.”

Malcolm made fairy cakes and then planned to sit outside with his family and have one with their coffee!

Gary made delicious chocolate buns! Jordan made delicious fairy cakes and while Jordan waited for his buns to cool he made some yummy cornflakes buns for his uncle! We bet there aren’t many buns left now!

Megan also made yummy Fairy Cakes and made them with lots of different toppings to suit everyone’s tastes before they enjoyed the delicious treats with coffee. Well done Megan they look amazing.

Stephanie has also taken part. Well done Stephanie they look yummy.

Andrew couldn’t join in Fairy Cakes baking session but he planted watercress and baked his sister an amazing birthday cake!

Happy birthday Andrew’s sister.

Well done Andrew and we can’t wait to see how the watercress comes along.