Abel Christie at work at the New World in Porirua. Photo: Supplied
After a few awkward moments, a Wellington supermarket has taken to social media to introduce a staff member who stood out in a special way.
Abel Christie, a 15-year-old autistic young man with an intellectual disability, started working at New World Porirua a month ago, helping pack groceries.
"Abel was incredibly eager, chatty, and loved interacting with people," said Tracy Shaw, Business and People Development Manager at New World Porirua.
"After discussing different positions, we found the best fit for him was packing at the checkout."
However, some customers weren't familiar with Abel's direct approach.
Abel Christie at work at the New World in Porirua. Photo: Supplied
"Abel would say things like, 'Why are you buying so much Coke? You should drink water instead.' He wasn't trying to be rude - just speaking his mind - but we realised it might put people off," said Abel's mum, Amy Christie.
"We found that once people got to know Abel, they really liked him. So, instead of giving up on the job, we thought it would help if we introduced him properly."
Shaw agreed, and said feedback from customers prompted the store to take to social media to introduce Abel to the community.
"We wanted to foster understanding and ensure that both he and our customers had positive experiences."
Amy Christie helped draft a Facebook post to introduce Abel to local customers, explaining who he was and how best to engage with him.
The post read, "Meet Abel - Our Friendly Checkout Helper."
It introduced Abel, explaining that he was 15 years old, autistic, and had an intellectual disability. It also highlighted how Abel loved interacting with customers, and offered a heads-up that he might occasionally ask unexpected questions or speak in a loud tone, not out of frustration, but because of his excitement.
Abel Christie with his mum Amy. Photo: Supplied
"Sometimes, Abel may ask questions or make comments that seem a little unexpected - this is because autism makes it tricky for him to always understand what's appropriate to say," the post read.
"He also speaks with a loud tone that can sometimes sound like yelling, but we promise he's not upset - he's just excited to talk to you!"
The post quickly gained hundreds of views and a flurry of supportive comments.
"We had no idea it would take off like it did," said Christie.
"We just wanted regular customers to know who Abel was. Then, I started getting calls and messages from friends asking if I'd seen it. Even New World was surprised by the response. I think they were worried people might think they were exploiting us, but I reassured them that wasn't the case. It turned into a really positive conversation about inclusion."
Christie said since the introduction, people had been seeking out Abel at New World just to chat.
"He's become a bit of a local celebrity."
Abel, who worked two shifts a week, enjoyed the chance to be kind to others.
"My first job was at Burger Wisconsin in Paremata. I liked it because I got to talk to people. After that, I took a six-month break before looking for another job.
"I applied at New World and had an interview with Tracy [Shaw] - she was really welcoming."
Abel admitted packing bags could sometimes be a bit dull.
"I prefer stocking shelves because there's more to do, and speaking to people on self checkouts."
Abel said, in two years, he plans a change of career - train driving.
"We will look into it," his mum said.
Workplace inclusivity
Shaw believed the key to inclusivity in the workplace was ensuring employees were matched with the right managers and supervisors.
Abel Christie at work at the New World in Porirua. Photo: Supplied
"Before Abel joined us, we had detailed discussions with our supervisors to make sure they understood his needs and could provide the necessary support," she said.
"We do this for all our employees - whether someone is shy, inexperienced, or has specific challenges, we brief our managers so they can adapt their approach. In Abel's case, the team worked together to ensure he felt comfortable, engaged, and set up for success."
Shaw added that the store was still evolving its inclusivity practices.
"This was the first time we'd worked with someone with a disability of Abel's extent, but we'd only been running this store for two years."
Abel's role helped raise awareness and understanding of autism in the community.
"It's been a gradual process. Not everyone knew from the start that Abel had autism, but as word spread among staff and customers, support grew," said Shaw.
For Christie, navigating the system to understand employment options for people like her son was challenging.
"There's some sort of gaps in the way the system works...people don't actually know who's doing what. Where and how it all works."
She believed businesses needed clearer guidance on inclusive hiring processes.
"I just wonder if perhaps it's about educating the organisations and the workforce rather than the parents. It seems organisations want to know more about how they can step into this space."
"Families like ours, we don't necessarily know what's out there... actually on the workplace side, because neurodiversity in particular is such a big thing now."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
