Lisa Marie Clinton worked for 10 years as an applied behavioural analysis tutor for children with special education needs, specifically autism.

In this role, a lot of the focus was on teaching children how to live in a more independent manner. This often involved printing and laminating sheets that had prompts to instruct the children on how to carry out daily tasks.

One day Lisa Marie was doing just this with a little boy called Liam, whom she worked closely with. As she organised her sheets, she watched Liam using his iPad and the ehought struck her: why was she not using technology to create the prompts for these children?

From this Lisa Marie founded Avail (Assisted Visuals Achieving Independent Living). It is an app that is like a virtual assistant: it uses videos, pictures and audio to help people with disabilities complete everyday tasks.

Unfortunately, Liam, who shared a very special bond with Lisa, has sadly passed away since, but he provided the inspiration for the software that is changing the lives of people with disabilities across the nation and beyond.

Avail has already been launched in Ireland, the UK and the US and is proving to be extremely popular. Situations in which Avail can be used covers an extremely broad range of activities.

Some parents use it to help children get themselves ready in the morning, while schools use it to help children self-manage in the classroom, and others use it to assist with independent living.

“Avail is like a virtual assistant at your fingertips. It provides a system where you can create content, but also you can download content from the library.

“It depends and the age and the ability of the child. If kids are six or seven, it might teach them how to brush their teeth, make cereal, dress themselves and pack their lunch bag.

“There are people using Avail now that never thought they would be able to achieve certain skills or complete even daily activities by themselves and now they can. The dream is actually a reality.

“Previously, they never had ownership of their own learning, if they needed help, they always had to ask someone for it. Whereas now they can direct it and have ownership of it, because it is on their smartphone device or tablet.”

Feedback for Avail has been very positive, and many organisations have rolled it out. However, Lisa Marie explains that the most heartening part of Avail’s success for her is seeing people go about their daily lives with a little more ease.

“I know one parent who has three children with autism and she said: ‘Lisa, if just one of them got ready by themselves, the difference it would make to my morning.’ I said: ‘Look, use Avail, teach him what needs to be done to get himself ready.’

“Within two weeks they needed to add another step, because he was standing at the door ready 20 minutes beforehand. He was just flicking though and doing it himself, delighted to be able to manage it.”

From small ACORNS

Last year, while Avail was still a prototype, Lisa took part in the ACORNS programme, which essentially nurtures female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland.

Lisa, from Carrickmacross in Co Monaghan, is very positive about the programme and says it was instrumental in helping mould a business framework for Avail.

“It forces you to put the foundation in place, because you have a programme to follow and a meeting once a month with your lead advisor, with a set of objectives outlined for the next month. It really lifts you out of the developmental stage.”

ACORNS is fully funded under the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Innovation and Development Fund, ensuring that there is no cost involved for those participating.

get involved

The scheme is currently seeking 56 female entrepreneurs who live in rural Ireland and have recently started a business or who have taken concrete steps towards setting one up.

The intention of the programme is to provide the knowledge, support and networking opportunities required so that they can meet and even exceed their current aspirations.

Due to the volume of applications expected, the selection process will be highly competitive, with the ACORNS lead entrepreneurs being central in choosing candidates.

They will be pursuing those who are committed, displaying a sheer determination to advance their fledging businesses and are willing to work hard to achieve their entrepreneurial goals.

learning from leaders

ACORNS will run from October 2017 until April 2018. The programme will launch with the Residential Developmental Forum, which will take place in Mullingar on 23 and 24 October. The theme of this forum is “Establishing Good Foundations” and the participants will meet each other, their ACORNS lead entrepreneur and their round-table group for the first time. An overnight stay is also incorporated into the event, and the organisers wish for it to be an experience that will enable close bonds to be formed.

The ACORNS programme is largely based on the belief that entrepreneurs learn best from each other. This approach has ensured a very sociable learning environment for the candidates, who will participate in interactive round-table sessions that are facilitated by the experienced business women who are the lead entrepreneurs and are the heartbeat of the ACORNS programme.

Each lead entrepreneur has a business based in rural Ireland and is more than aware of the challenges and obstacles that lay ahead when starting or growing a business. They will be able to draw upon personal experience in business to advise the entrepreneurs as to how they can overcome difficulties and achieve their goals.

Paula Fitzsimons is the founder and managing director of Fitzsimons Consulting, who established the ACORNS programme, she is enthused as another series of ACORNS nears.

“We are absolutely delighted with the response and success of the ACORNS pilot and the programme, which is now in its third year. We want to support female entrepreneurs and their fledging business, which includes the local communities,” explains Paula.

“We are calling upon people in all 26 counties to apply.” CL

Those looking to apply for the ACORNS programme must register on www.acorns.ie. Following this, an application form will be sent, which you can return by email or by post. If you have any difficulties registering online call (01) 845 0770. The closing date for applications is 22 September.