Inclusion is at the heart of service provision in Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, and two recent pilot summer schemes are showing how the Council is stepping up to support children and young people with additional or complex needs.
The Council’s pilot Inclusive Summer Scheme programme has helped create more welcoming, accessible and enjoyable summer opportunities for local families, with Sensability and Stepping Stones NI delivering activities designed around the needs, interests and confidence of participants.
Sensability, a local charity supporting young people and adults with severe learning disabilities, received funding for a week-long summer scheme at The Grove Activity Centre in Lisburn for young people aged between 5 and 19, from 10 to 14 August 2026.
From fun, sensory play based activities for the young people taking part, to opportunities for parents and carers to connect, socialise and try activities and therapies, the scheme has been developed to make summer provision more inclusive, supportive and enjoyable.
Marina spoke to LCCC about how the Sensability scheme offered her daughter Ksenija a chance to have some fun with peers and friends during the summer, when otherwise they’re often “at home 24/7”. Marina said it was also benefiting her own mental health, allowing her to rest and to connect with other parents who understand her situation.
Stepping Stones NI, which supports and creates opportunities for people with a learning disability or barrier to learning, received funding support for its six-week Youth Service Summer Scheme, running from 20 July to 28 August 2026.
Participants have already enjoyed bowling, gardening, baking, crafting, circus skills, drumming workshops and a visit to the Ulster Aviation Society, with many more summer adventures still to come.
The young people at Stepping Stones were keen to share some of the colourful art they were enjoying making together, and even presented Councillor Sharon Lowry with one of the group’s hand-painted mugs as a present.
Councillor Lowry, Communities and Wellbeing Chair, visited both summer schemes this week and saw first-hand the difference the pilot programme is making for young people, parents, carers and delivery partners.
Councillor Lowry said: “It has been wonderful to visit Sensability and Stepping Stones NI and see children and young people enjoying activities that are welcoming, safe and tailored to them. These pilot schemes are a great example of what can be achieved when the Council works in partnership with local organisations to promote inclusion in a practical and meaningful way.
“At the end of the summer, we will evaluate the success of the pilot programme and consider how we can continue to promote and advance inclusion across the council area, helping to ensure more children, young people and families can access positive opportunities in the future.”