Council celebrates World Autism Acceptance Month with groundbreaking initiatives

Monday 31 March 2025

In partnership with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, the Council will continue to support autistic individuals and their families via ongoing initiatives that focus on increasing accessibility, understanding and acceptance across the Borough.

MEABC’s Autism Friendly Borough agenda - a pioneering partnership with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust - aims to make the area more accessible and welcoming for autistic people. This initiative has already received recognition, having recently won the Local Government Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award at the NI Local Government Awards 2025.

Several of the Council’s leisure facilities and visitor attractions have received the Autism NI Impact Award, including Carnfunnock Country Park, Ballymena’s People’s Park and The Gobbins Visitor Centre.

The Council’s Arts Centres and Museums are working towards accreditation, incorporating changes like sensory spaces, accessible signage and pre-visit guides to improve the experience for autistic visitors.

The Council has also appointed Autism Champions in key departments such as Parks, Museums, and Leisure Services. These trained staff members are dedicated to ensuring services are accessible and providing guidance for families.

The Autism Team, a partnership between MEABC and the Northern Trust, also delivers tailored autism awareness training for local businesses and organisations. This training helps businesses become more autism-friendly, with participants receiving certification.

MEABC has worked with the Mae Murray Foundation to create sensory-friendly spaces at People’s Park and Carnfunnock Country Park. These spaces, funded by the Department for Communities, feature equipment suitable for children of all abilities. The Council has also introduced Quiet Hour sessions in select parks, offering peaceful times for families to visit without the disruption of machinery.

In addition, Council will be hosting an Autism Café as part of a wider NHSCT initiative for parents and caregivers of children with autism or those awaiting assessment. These informal events, starting on April 2 at Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre in Ballymoney, provide valuable information and support.

Deputy Mayor, Councillor Bréanainn Lyness, said everyone was proud of the Borough’s focus on autism-friendly initiatives.

“As a Council, alongside our community planning partners, we will lead by example – considering and valuing our autistic community in everything we do, incorporating their views and experiences into the design and delivery of our services.” he said.

“We are immensely proud of what we have achieved to date through this partnership and will continue to support the valuable work of the Autism Friendly Borough initiative.”

Council has also rolled out JAM Card training for its staff. The JAM Card (Just A Minute Card) is a discreet way for people with hidden disabilities, such as autism, to request a brief pause in communication. To date, 280 staff members have completed this training, further enhancing the Council’s ability to support those with communication barriers.

Hugh Nelson, Head of Community Wellbeing Northern Health and Social Care Trust and Chairperson of the Good Health and Wellbeing Thematic Group within the Community Planning Partnership said collaboration is central to success.

“The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is thrilled to be a partner in this exciting partnership initiative,” he said.

“Collaboration and creativity are key to its success and our thanks go to all the staff involved in its delivery. 

“Mid and East Antrim Community Planning Partnership collectively encourages the ongoing development of the Autism Friendly Borough initiative to support its vision of becoming a strong, vibrant, safe and inclusive community, where people work together to improve the quality of life for all.”

For more information, visit Autism Friendly MEA page.