Persons with Autism Learn Life Skills at the Supermarket
It was already three
o’clock in the afternoon, and 18-year old Brad was supposed to be home by 12
noon. His worried mom began to think if teaching him to commute was the right
decision. Brad Gutierrez is a person with autism (PWA), and that was his first
time to travel by public transportation.
As it turned
out, it was one of those days when UV Express shuttles get delayed by traffic
congestion. Brad waited patiently for three hours, fighting hunger and sweat
along with other passengers in line. But unlike most people, he got home with
pride that he was able to come home by himself.
Commuting to and
from Savemore Market is just one of the many life skills Brad and 60 other
participants are learning from AutiSM at Work – an immersion program designed
by SM Markets, the SM food retail brand comprised of SM Supermarket, Savemore
Market, and SM Hypermarket, and Autism Society of the Philippines (ASP) to
promote workplace inclusion for PWAs. Now on its 2nd year, the program
continues to expand from the pilot run at Savemore Market Light Residences to
the current 17 SM Markets branches nationwide.
ASP President
Mona Veluz affirms that by exposing PWAs in a work environment through AutiSM
at Work, the participants get to learn the necessary skills they need in life.
“PWAs need to
transition into adulthood in a significant way beyond what they learn in school.
They need to know how to be independent, socialize, interact, be responsible.
This immersion program with SM Markets teaches them just that,” says Mona. Soft
skills like engaging customers and co-workers, taking directions from
supervisors, coming to work on time, and even taking a bath before going to
work, are important for PWAs to be truly included in society.
Being a mother
of a PWA herself, Mona gets emotional when talking about the overall
development that program participants are showing during their three-month internship.
She remembers how one of the participants, 20-year old Rhav Lomboy, turned from
a struggling beginner to a confident mentee.
According to
Mona, Rhav was uncomfortable when he first tried to put grocery items in a bag.
Now, he has transitioned from that task to putting back unwanted items in the
shelves, giving shopping carts to customers, and greeting everyone he
encounters. “It makes me so happy and proud seeing them improve, the difference
in personality, the confidence. As a parent, that’s what you want to see,” Mona
shares.
Seeing PWAs
thrive in a place like Savemore Market where people from all walks of life come
and go every day is indeed promising. It builds possibilities for PWAs like
Brad, who dreams of being a chef in his own restaurant someday. For Rhav, his
future is where he is a successful graphic designer. And for 24-year old JD
Sagala, a graduate of computer electronics, his vision includes working in big
companies like Samsung electronics.
The possibilities
that SM Markets and ASP’s immersion program opens up are indeed infinite not
just for PWAs, but for SM employees and its customers as well. “It’s enriching,
meaningful, and inspirational for our employees and customers. Seeing them
(PWAs) do what they do motivates us to be even better so we can help create a
truly inclusive society,” says Dorothy Sobrevega, AVP for Human Resources of SM
Markets.
“Learning life
skills is really more important especially when you’re learning how to survive.
We’d like to think that we are showing them the right path as they begin to
dream of becoming somebody someday,” Dorothy concludes.
0 comments