Glasgow’s St Enoch Centre has opened a dedicated space to support autistic people and those with learning disabilities and sensory conditions to maximise their enjoyment of a busy shopping environment.
The launch of its quiet and safe room is a first for the city’s shopping centres.
Over the past 18 months the Centre has been working with support organisations and carefully assessing the requirements of customers with specialist needs – many of whom can sometimes find the crowds and sensory aspects associated with shopping to be overwhelming.
And the notion of taking good care of every customer is why, if you choose one of the retail opportunities on s1jobs, you could find yourself being given autism or diversity training.
You might also get guidance on how to handle customers with physical or mental health needs of all kinds.
Small children and toddlers also need to be kept safe and engaged in the big wide world of shopping.
Thankfully, as the shopping environment changes, shopping centres are responding by becoming increasingly inviting places.
Today there’s more of a carnival atmosphere, with pop-up food fairs, art installations and live music events.
But perhaps the greatest change is in how they are becoming real resources for their local communities.
Clare Davidson is a retail assistant in Falkirk and has just completed a refresher course on delivering first aid.
“Being able to provide real help when it’s needed gives me confidence to do my job,” she says.
“I’ve helped people – even expectant mothers who’ve gone into early labour. Sometimes people fall or feel faint and they need me to remain calm and reassuring until the paramedics arrive.”
Most shopping centres also have defibrillators and there’s a free app that allows retail staff to locate and use one of these in an emergency.
Having staff with excellent first aid training and this essential equipment has the potential to save lives.
So, if you’re thinking of switching careers into retail, don’t concentrate only on your sales abilities – recognise there are many other skills that may be just as valuable.
For instance, employers like to team up with a charity, so if you’ve done sponsored walks, abseiled down buildings or knitted blankets, your experience of volunteering could be just what they need to help their global brand make a contribution to their local community.
In fact, just this month, staff and shoppers at the St Enoch Centre boosted Beatson Cancer Charity with a donation of £11,000.
Retail . . . it’s the sharing, caring future for communities.