04/06/2026
⭐Volunteer Spotlight ⭐
Lexie Browne began his volunteering journey with incredABLE a year and a half ago and what a journey it has been for the 19-year-old who just happens to have autism. 💜
Lexie, a student from Hamiltonsbawn, wanted to donate his time to incredABLE to “give something back” because by availing of our charity’s services as a participant, he had “a place to go where everyone was equal.” 🫶
“Everyone was dealing with the same thing,” he said. “I wanted to give back to an organisation that gave me so much. That’s why I’m so passionate about volunteering.”
“incredABLE really helped me,” he explained, adding that staff members Catherine and Jodie took him “under their wings” helping him to grow in confidence and feel included.
From feeling anxious in his younger years, Lexie is now more used to being in social settings due to spending time with other incredABLE young people “just like me.”
He can even say that not only has he met some of Stormont’s politicians, but he held a conversation with them about his time volunteering with incredABLE and the positive difference it has made to his life.
Junior Ministers Joanne Bunting and Aisling Reilly came to our Head Office in Richhill on an official visit earlier this year to find out more about the opportunities incredABLE provides people with learning/intellectual disabilities and/or autism in the Southern Trust area to live fulfilling, empowered lives.
Of the high profile visit, Lexie said: “I chatted to them about how I became a volunteer, how incredABLE helped me and how I like to give back.
“Because incredABLE helped me with my confidence, I can talk to anyone about anything now.”
A younger Lexie, he admitted, “would have been more anxious and the answers to the questions may not have been in much detail.”
As well as donating his time, Lexie, a student with the Southern Regional College in Armagh, is studying for his Level 4 qualification in Health and Social Care. He chose incredABLE as his placement, furthering his commitment to “give back.”
Last year, he received his silver EPIC (Empowering People In Communities) Award for reaching the milestone of 100 hours of volunteering and is on his way to receiving his gold award for 200 hours. (See final pic 📸)
“It’s the rewarding feeling of giving back, the feeling of actually helping someone.”
“I would encourage everyone to try out volunteering. You will have fun while you do it – it doesn’t feel like work and you can do it when you can."
If Lexie’s story has inspired you to explore volunteering with incredABLE, please go to: www.incredable.org.uk/volunteer to find out more.
⭐incredABLE has volunteering options available for people aged 16+ at various times of the week e.g week days / evenings, overnight or weekends.
❓If you’ve any questions in relation to volunteering, please contact Services Coordinator Lee Sipson via email: [email protected] or phone: 028 3887 2111 and she will get back to you when she is free.
📸1: Volunteer Lexie Browne (centre) with Junior Ministers Joanne Bunting and Aisling Reilly, incredABLE’s Chair of Trustees Mairead McAlinden (far left) and incredABLE’s CEO Nigel Hampton (far right).
📸 2 & 3: Lexie chatting to the Junior Ministers and incredABLE's staff during the official visit.
Aisling Reilly MLA Joanne Bunting MLA
