Autism Friendly MEA
WAAM 2026 Autism NI Impact Award Autism Workshops
Jam Card Employability Guide Sensory Parks
Quiet Hour Autism Friendly Museums Pre-visit Guides Our Spectrum Story
‘Our Spectrum Story’
12 and 13 March 2026
Courtyard Theatre, Newtownabbey
Uplift Performing Arts have developed a new performance called ‘Our Spectrum Story’ directly with autistic individuals from the borough.
This performance brings together individual voices and real-life experiences, sharing personal perspectives through theatre, movement and creative expression.
The production explores the realities of daily life, identity, belonging, while challenging common misconceptions and celebrating neurodiversity.
The play was funded by us, Northern Health & Social Care Trust and Clanmill Housing.
Tickets are for sale at The Courtyard Theatre's website.
MEA proudly supports World Autism Acceptance Month 2026
We are supporting World Autism Acceptance Month (WAAM) by raising awareness of the great partnership work that has been taking place to help create a borough that works for autistic people and their families.
The Autism Friendly Borough agenda is a truly groundbreaking partnership initiative, where we are working closely with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust to support public services and businesses across the borough to become Autism Friendly.
This initiative was a winner of the Local Government Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award category of the NI Local Government Awards 2025; and a finalist at the Business in the Community Responsible Business Awards 2025.
As part of ‘Putting People First’, Mid and East Antrim’s Community Plan, we want to create a more inclusive community, creating opportunities for autistic individuals and their families to feel welcome, and where businesses make accommodations which are more responsive to their needs.
Over the past few years, we have been on an exciting journey alongside our partner, Northern Health and Social Care Trust, developing an autism initiative to make this a reality.
Autism NI Impact Award Champion
Leisure facilities and visitor attractions owned and operated by us have been awarded the Autism NI Impact Award.
Our three leisure centres, Carnfunnock Country Park, People’s Park in Ballymena and The Gobbins Visitor Centre at Islandmagee, have all achieved ‘Autism Impact Award’ accreditation.
Our arts centres and museums are currently working towards accreditation.
Following the training programme, positive practical adjustments were made, including the production of online pre-visit guides, new signage, and ‘quiet spaces’ at several venues.
Resulting from the awareness raising within the teams, we were successful in a bid for £30,000 from the Department for Communities to upgrade the lighting system at McNeill Theatre to enable Autism-Friendly relaxed performances.
Relaxed performances are now offered by us wherever possible, across all its sites.
Autism Champions have also been identified from within our staff teams and are located across council and the Northern Health and Social Care Trust to support autistic individuals and their families in accessing services.
Our Champions are located within Parks, Museums, and Leisure Services.
They have all received Autism Awareness training and are responsible for ensuring that the services provided by their department are accessible to all.
Autism Champions can be identified by their lanyard.
Workshop to increase understanding of Autism and its challenges
The Autism Team, comprising of our staff and the Northern Health and Social Care Trust staff, are trained to jointly deliver autism awareness training.
Under the guidance of The Northern Area Autism Reference Group (a group of parents/carers and autistic adults), the team have developed a workshop and branding for an Autism-Friendly borough.
The training, initially delivered within council locations, has been extended to include external businesses and organisations, who, if successfully complete the training, are awarded badges and certificates to evidence their autism awareness and implementation of autism-friendly changes to their organisations.
The 'Train for Training' version of the workshop is near completion and will soon be available to our community partners to support their organisations to meet the needs of our autistic community through a cost effective, accessible training solution, managed by us and the Northern Health and Social Care Trust.
Adoption of the Just A Minute (Jam) Card
We have rolled out JAM Card training across council.
JAM Card, developed by The NOW Group, allows people with a hidden disability like autism or a communication barrier to tell others they need 'Just A Minute' discreetly and easily.
Employability Guide
We want to enable more autistic people to progress into and within employment by equipping employers with the skills and knowledge to understand their needs.
This resource provides tools for employers to help support autistic people into roles within their workplace.
It aims to help autistic people entering the workplace, to be understood, to reduce anxiety associated with a new role, and enable all candidates to demonstrate their abilities with confidence.
This guide has been developed in partnership with The Northern Area Autism Employability Working Group and The Northern Area Autism Reference Group.
Sensory Parks
The sensory areas at People’s Park, Ballymena, and Carnfunnock Country Park were designed by officers in collaboration with councillors to create spaces away from the main play areas that engage the senses and promote a calming atmosphere.
A variety of equipment suitable for children of all abilities has been installed, alongside new accessible pathways and picnic benches.
The winding walkways guide visitors through the area, while the addition of different types of trees, textures, and musical instruments further enrich the experience.
These sensory areas were funded by the Department for Communities, with £30,000 awarded to each site through their Access and Inclusion Fund to purchase accessible and inclusive equipment, and a £3,000 contribution from ourselves.
Our Parks staff are using the Mae Murray Foundation 'Adapt My Play' Toolkit for help designing the new/refurbished play parks to ensure we are as inclusive as possible.
Quiet Hour at our principal play parks
The Autism Friendly team have worked with the Parks and Open Spaces to have a dedicated quiet hour at the following parks: People’s Park, Ballymena, Carnfunnock Country Park and Town Park, Larne, and Marine Gardens play park in Carrickfergus.
Quiet hour is: Wednesday and Sunday 2pm – 3pm
Autism Friendly Museums
Since 2022, Mid-Antrim Museum at The Braid has delivered annual workshops with Autism Support Centre classes at Dunclug Primary School.
These workshops were developed through discussions with the school and with the support of local artists who have delivered activities focussed on wellbeing, using museum collections as inspiration.
Pre-visit Guides for council facilities
Everyone feels different when visiting a new place or trying something new.
There are new sounds and smells, and you may not know what to expect.
We have compiled Pre-visit Guides for a number of our facilities which can be viewed online though our issuu platform, or downloaded.
Unfortunately, these guides are only available as PDF documents at present.
These guides will help you get ready for your trip.
Museums & Arts Centres:
- Andrew Jackson Cottage & US Rangers Museum
- The Braid Arts Centre
- Carrickfergus Museum
- Larne Museum & Arts Centre
- Mid-Antrim Museum at The Braid
Parks:
- Carnfunnock Country Park - Day visit
- Carnfunnock Country Park - Overnight visit
- People's Park, Ballymena