Leading astronomical research centre, Armagh Observatory and Planetarium,
was recently announced as one of seven organisations from across the UK to have been
awarded a Bold Futures grant by the Association for Science and Discovery Centres. The
organisation will use the grant to engage with the local special educational needs
community.
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium was awarded the grant for its proposal to make a
meaningful impact on the local special educational needs community, by engaging with
community youth forums and with special schools across Northern Ireland.
The organisation will initiate its Bold Futures programme by partnering with More Than
Words, an Armagh-based autism support group, and will also receive input from Middletown
Centre for Autism. It is hoped that the groups will advise on the special educational needs
events that they provide, including training and resources available, and offer feedback on
the accessibility of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium’s facilities.
Joanne McCracken, Chairperson at More than Words, says “I would like to thank Armagh
Observatory and Planetarium for the invitation to participate in the Bold Futures programme.
“At More Than Words, we are dedicated to helping families and children with autism and I
hope that by engaging with the scheme, we can work together to ensure that they can make
the best use of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium’s unique facilities.”
Each group will be given the opportunity to make purposeful changes to Armagh
Observatory and Planetarium’s facilities and events. They will also be included in the design
of a sensory map of the Planetarium and exhibitions space and in the creation of sensory
bags for the facility.
Evangelene Haffey, Learning Support Officer at Middletown Centre for Autism, adds, “It is a
pleasure to participate in the Bold Futures programme and we would like to thank Armagh
Observatory and Planetarium for the opportunity.
“At Middletown Centre for Autism, we support the promotion of excellence throughout
Northern Ireland and Ireland in the education of autistic children and young people and I
believe that taking part in this initiative will be a great confidence-building exercise for our
young participants.
“Bold Futures will help to amplify their voices and will harness their lived experience to
achieve positive outcomes.”
Feedback gained from the groups participating in the Bold Futures programme will be put
into practice through engagement with special schools across the country.
Shaaron Leverment, Chief Executive at Association for Science and Discovery Centres,
says, “Armagh Observatory and Planetarium is an active champion for community
representation within the UK science and discovery centre sector.
“Its commitment to the vision of a Bold Future involves platforming the voices of young
people, to provide the advice and direction that informs the design of planetarium and
exhibition resources, events and activities.
“We can’t wait to see the outcomes of this project and the lasting legacy it will have for local
communities.”
A second phase of the Bold Futures Programme will see Armagh Observatory and
Planetarium deliver direct outreach to schools for children with special educational needs by
bringing its portable star dome to schools across the country.
The dome, which displays the cosmos, will accommodate up to 30 pupils at a time for a
Dome Show viewing led by one of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium’s Outreach
Officers.
Sinead Mackle, Education and Outreach Manager at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium,
comments, “We would like to thank the Association for Science and Discovery Centres for
this funding and very much look forward to working with More Than Words and Middletown
Centre for Autism on this important project.
“At Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, we are committed to ensuring that our facilities
are accessible to everyone. The project was borne of a desire to ensure that that we are a
‘place for all’ and to seek feedback from the families and young people that visit us on
potential improvements that we can make, both in terms of our facilities and our educational
programmes.
“We have already begun work on making our facilities more accessible, with the inclusion of
our sensory room, our Changing Places facility, the subtitling of our Dome Shows, and the
translation of these shows into other languages including British Sign Language and Irish
Sign Language.
“We hope that by engaging with local youth forums, we will give children within the special
educational needs community the ability to directly influence the changes we make going
forward.”
To find out more about Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, visit: