Everyday chores like going shopping can be stressful for someone with autism.
The bright lights, music, announcements and noises at malls can all be rather
overwhelming, and Mumbai parent Seema Dhir would avoid it
altogether when her son Sanskaar, who has autism, was small.
“As he grew older I started taking him so he would get used to that
experience and learned to mingle. But it was difficult, especially on
weekends when the malls are crowded”.
So Seema was more than happy when she found out about Big Bazaar’s
initiative, an Asia first, to hold a Quiet Hour on a pilot basis
in one of their Mumbai outlets. The retail chain approached Sol’s
Arc, a Mumbai-based centre for disabled youth and kids where
Sanskaar studies, to help understand the needs of people on the spectrum.
This is a revolutionary concept for India and it is a step forward towards
embracing the differences among us. Big Bazaar is committed towards
inclusiveness and making our stores accessible for all. This is the firts
such effort to learn things, get feedback from the community and improve
the shopping experience. – Bhaskar Nair, Store Manager, Big Bazaar
Matunga
Considerable time and effort was spend towards making this day a success.
“Big Bazaar approached us in August this year and a lot of research went
behind it, from, inviting their team to our centre to understand the needs of
people and their challenges”, says Poonam Naik, Project Head, Sol’s
Arc. “Their team did a session with the children and adults at our
centre. We also set up a group of parents who helped them understand how to
make shopping accessible for people with autism.”
That attention to detail was more than evident on for two hours, 70 families,
parents and children, enjoyed a calm, shopping experience with a staff that
had been trained to understand and meet their needs.
“There was no rush at all and the children were very comfortable”, said
Nandita Sanil, mother to a 22-month-old with autism. “The
staff was very friendly and one of them even held my son and took him around.
They did not look at the children like they were different or odd”.
This feeling of comfort and ease is something mostly absent in the Indian
shopping experience, points out Parul Kumtha,
Founder, Forum For Autism, a support network of parents. A
universal design architect, she is also a consultant for Biz
Bazaar’s universal design infrastructure initiative.
“The Quiet Hour is a step in the right direction to create an inclusive
environment for disabilities like autism and others with sensorial processing
difficulties. The sheer demographic magnitudes in Indian cities makes
shopping a crowded experience for all persons with sensorial processing
difficulties, including autism. Crowds come with a truckload of sensory
overload in the form of noise, sights, smells, excessive movement and
proximity to each other. This could result in meltdowns for autistic people,
preventing them from experiencing shopping in a pleasant and fulfilling
way”.
Apart from sensitization workshops with the staff, the team of parents and
experts from Sol’s Arc also gave vital inputs to make the Quiet Hour a
success. For instance, the intensity of lights was dimmed and the noises from
machines and trolleys was kept to a minimal. Announcements were reduced as
well.
“We asked them to give prominence to visual signages”, says Naik. “So,
each section was given a signage and category. Like the food section had a
visual card. We gave them a few samples they could go by”.
Another lovely touch was an engagement zone where volunteers
conducted fun activities for kids who were feeling troubled or being
aggressive. “Over the two-day sensitization program, we explained the
behavior pattern to the staff, so they understood what kind of support the
parent and child needs. This way they could offer support without biases”,
said Naik.
The move has been appreciated by experts from across India. Kavitha
Krishnamurthy, Founder, Kilikili, an organization
that has spearheaded the campaign for inclusive playgrounds, calls this a
welcome step.
“It does show a willingness to make the necessary adaptations for a group
of people who may find shopping quite overwhelming. And frankly, it will suit
many of us non-autistic people too as the experience of shopping in malls can
be extremely overwhelming sensorially. So it may be a move that benefits not
just people with autism but many others too”.
There was overwhelming praise from the group for the Big Bazar staff, which
plans to learn from this experiment before launching it on a bigger scale.
One parent said this was the kind of support they need. “This is exactly
what we were looking for, that someone looks at us with love, respect and
acceptance”.
High praise indeed and words that will hopefully inspire many other brands to
follow.
Source: https://newzhook.com/story/20717
