10 Shops In Malaysia That Hires Senior Citizens And People With Disabilities

As curated by World of Buzz and we’ve also added two of our own, here are 10 places that hire senior citizens and people with disabilities as their staffs. These places are helping the senior citizens and people with disabilities to have a sense of belonging and purpose.

By combatting discrimination against senior citizens and people with disabilities, the public must be educated about inclusion. Moreover, this will raise awareness to the public that senior citizens and people with disabilities can contribute to society as well.

These Places Are Doing Remarkable Things

1. Starbucks

This Starbucks in Bangsar Village is the first Starbucks in the world with hearing-impaired baristas. However, there is a menu that will help you order your drinks in sign language completely if you don’t know sign language. What better way to learn sign language than ordering your favorite drink at Starbucks.

2. A&W

Recently, A&W at Petaling Jaya started hiring senior citizens and people with disabilities. Additionally, customers even saw that they were communicating with sign language to each other to ensure that the hearing impaired are not excluded.

3. Autism Cafe Project

This cafe was started in 2016 by Mohd Adli Yahya who has an Autistic son himself. Besides creating opportunities, Autism Cafe Project aims to train young adults and teenagers with Autism to be independent by teaching them life skills.

4. McDonald’s

McDonald’s may be known for selling fast food but there are certain McDonald’s here in Malaysia that hires people with disabilities and the outlet in Kuala Trengganu is one of them. What better way to raise awareness about inclusion than a huge chain like McDonald’s recruiting people with disabilities to their team.

5. KFC

Whilst KFC is known for its finger-licking good fried chicken, KFC has been recruiting people with disabilities to their team. If you see a ‘Community Care’ sticker on the front door, that means they have people with disabilities in the outlet. Of course that does not mean that you should turn and walkway; instead, you must give them the opportunity to serve you.

6. Let’s Meat

This cafe in Penang trains students with disabilities basic task such as taking orders, serving customers and clearing tables. Besides that, their partnership with LemmeLearn helps raise awareness about Autism. Additionally, these students wear a badge that says “I’m a Special Trainee” to help the customers to be gracious and patient when mistakes are made.

7. HH+ by Haven Harbour

HH+ by Haven Harbor in Penang is also partnering with LemmeLearn to help their students with disabilities to have an opportunity to work. Moreover, their training helps each individual to be independent by teaching them basic skills. The basic skills include taking orders, clearing the tables, washing and serving customers. If you’re patronizing this cafe, be on a lookout for the students who are wearing a badge that says, “I’m a Special Trainee”. Take some time to get to know them and remember to be patient with them.

8. Giant

Locally famous hypermarket Giant has been hiring people with disabilities. Record from 2014 shows that there are 76 disabled employees and 46 of them are working at the Klang Valley outlet. Discrimination is not in the dictionary for Giant as everyone is welcome to join the team.

9. Dialogue in the Dark

Dialogue in the Dark has the most unique business concept that creates a great opportunity for the visually impaired. It’s a workshop for companies to experience what is it like to be blind. Visitors will experience being guided by blind guides through dark rooms. Your senses are heightened hence you will experience the different scents, sounds, wind, temperatures, and textures.

10. AEON Malaysia

You probably don’t know but AEON hires people with disabilities as their staffs as well. Just like Giant, AEON does not discriminate but welcome everyone with open arms to their team. Moreover, AEON is the top leading hirers of people with disabilities in Malaysia.

11. Uniqlo

Uniqlo aims to hire at least one person with disability since 2017 at each outlet. Back in 2017, special training was held by voluntary staff to teach the basic retail tasks. Those that join the team are able to start their sustainable career with Uniqlo.

Isn’t it inspiring to know that there are businesses out there that are doing such remarkable deeds? It’s important to educate the public about inclusion and these businesses are doing an amazing job at it. Do you know any other businesses that are hiring senior citizens and people with disabilities? Let us know in the comment below.