Halifax Shopping Centre teams up with Autism Nova Scotia for inclusive environment
Posted Apr 16, 2019 10:12:35 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Halifax Shopping Centre has teamed up with Autism Nova Scotia to learn how to make their stores more welcoming for people on the spectrum.
By partnering with Autism Nova Scotia, Halifax Shopping Centre is trying to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for people on the autism spectrum and their families.
They'll do this by attending regular lunch and learn sessions with the organization to teach them about autism spectrum disorder and how to support those living with it.
Jenny Tyler does community outreach with Autism Nova Scotia, she says retailers reached out after the successful Silent Santa Program in December.
She tells NEWS 95.7 this will allow individuals and families to go places they wouldn't be able to access previously.
“It's about having more understanding around autism, and what it looks like for individuals, and being more accepting and having a more accepting environment,” says Tyler.
She says any business or organization can reach out for training adding Sobeys, who had been holding sensory friendly shopping one hour every other Sunday will soon start doing them every week.
Tyler says this inclusive approach “allows individuals and families to go places that they may not have been able to access before” and their hope is to see more and more businesses become increasingly autism friendly.
