Council Leisure Centres recognised for becoming autism-friendly

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Leisure Centres in Ballymoney, Limavady and Coleraine have been recognised for their commitment to creating more inclusive and accessible environments for autistic people.

On Thursday, September 10, Autism NI Impact Awards were given to Joey Dunlop, Roe Valley and Coleraine Leisure Centres recognising the positive changes made across the facilities and the work undertaken to improve the experience of autistic people and their families.

The process of becoming more autism-inclusive has resulted in improvements across accessibility, equality compliance, staff knowledge, as well as more inclusive relationships with service users.

Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Dawn Huggins said: “This is a significant achievement, and one which I am particularly pleased to recognise because it demonstrates our commitment to making our services more accessible, welcoming and inclusive for everyone in our community.

“Becoming an autism-inclusive environment is not simply about achieving an award or meeting a set of standards. It is about listening, learning and making meaningful changes that can make a real difference to people's experiences.”

Councillor Cara McShane, Causeway Coast and Glens Diversity Champion said:

“I’m delighted to see our leisure centres recognised with Autism Impact Awards. This is an important achievement and reflects the hard work of staff to make our leisure services more welcoming, accessible and inclusive for autistic people.

“This work directly links with our Autism Action Plan, which sets out our commitment to improving the experience of autistic residents when accessing Council services.

“As Council's Diversity Ambassador, I will continue to champion improvements that build on this progress, ensuring the voices and lived experiences of autistic people are heard, and that autistic residents can participate fully in community life.”

Elaine McConaghie, Council’s Policy and Development Officer added: “This award is a proud moment for our leisure centres, but its real value lies in what it represents, people feeling welcome, supported and able to enjoy our spaces in a way that works for them.

“True inclusion takes time and care, and we want people to know they matter. With their help, we’ll keep listening, learning and improving.”

As part of the award process, Council consulted with the Northern Autism Forum, Western Autism Forum, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Equality Forum and Causeway Neurodiversity, providing opportunities to hear directly from autistic service users, families, friends and carers.

Their feedback has helped shape a range of practical improvements, including calm packs, pre-visit guides, maps and enhanced signage.

The Leisure Centres recognise that becoming an autism-inclusive environment is an ongoing process and will continue to work alongside Autism NI and local partners to provide continued support and identify further opportunities for improvement.

Roger Downey from Council’s Sport and Wellbeing team said:

“Working in partnership with Autism NI, staff received accredited training and support, leading to the development of three site-specific Autism Action Plans. These plans have been delivered by volunteer Autism Champions based at each Leisure Centre.

“A total of 20 action points have been implemented across the three sites, with the experiences and views of autistic service users at the centre of the process.”

Grace McMullan, Council’s Physical Activity and Wellbeing Manager said: “Achieving these awards across our leisure centres was guided by both the Northern Ireland Autism Strategy and our Council’s Autism Strategy.

"These strategies emphasise the importance of respecting, listening to and involving autistic people and their families in the design and delivery of services.

"The improvements have helped us remove barriers that might otherwise prevent autistic individuals from taking part in activities or events within their local communities."