This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48426371
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Teen shop worker goes ‘above and beyond’ for autistic girl | Teen shop worker goes ‘above and beyond’ for autistic girl |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| A mother's praise for a teenager on his Saturday job - who patiently helped her daughter, who has autism - has reached hundreds of thousands of people on social media, thanks in part to his father's pride. | A mother's praise for a teenager on his Saturday job - who patiently helped her daughter, who has autism - has reached hundreds of thousands of people on social media, thanks in part to his father's pride. |
| James Tayler, from Bicester, Oxfordshire, posted on Twitter he had a very good reason to be "ridiculously" proud of his 18-year-old son, Jacob. | James Tayler, from Bicester, Oxfordshire, posted on Twitter he had a very good reason to be "ridiculously" proud of his 18-year-old son, Jacob. |
| When Jacob finished his Saturday job at a Clarks shoe shop, he was handed a "celebration alert" from the store. | When Jacob finished his Saturday job at a Clarks shoe shop, he was handed a "celebration alert" from the store. |
| The alert was prompted by an email from a shopper to say Jacob had gone "above and beyond" their expectations back in March, when helping the customer's daughter. | The alert was prompted by an email from a shopper to say Jacob had gone "above and beyond" their expectations back in March, when helping the customer's daughter. |
| "I might be a little choked up," said James in his tweet. | "I might be a little choked up," said James in his tweet. |
| Sensory overload | Sensory overload |
| Jacob told BBC News: "I was asked to measure a little girl's feet. | Jacob told BBC News: "I was asked to measure a little girl's feet. |
| "I didn't know she had autism but she wasn't responding very well. | "I didn't know she had autism but she wasn't responding very well. |
| "She was having sensory overload in the shop environment." | "She was having sensory overload in the shop environment." |
| The customer emailed the company, describing how Jacob had sat patiently while her daughter had cried and had carried on when she had been ready, without any fuss, adding: "He didn't once make us feel like we were taking too long or being a nuisance." | The customer emailed the company, describing how Jacob had sat patiently while her daughter had cried and had carried on when she had been ready, without any fuss, adding: "He didn't once make us feel like we were taking too long or being a nuisance." |
| Loves kindness | Loves kindness |
| More than 90,000 people have "liked" James's sharing of the story on Twitter on Sunday, including 69,000 in the first day, and retweeted it to thousands more. | More than 90,000 people have "liked" James's sharing of the story on Twitter on Sunday, including 69,000 in the first day, and retweeted it to thousands more. |
| It has also been picked up on social media forum Reddit, where the story was upvoted more than 52,000 times within nine hours of being posted. | It has also been picked up on social media forum Reddit, where the story was upvoted more than 52,000 times within nine hours of being posted. |
| Among those to see the tweet was Dawn Brown, the customer who had emailed Clarks. | Among those to see the tweet was Dawn Brown, the customer who had emailed Clarks. |
| "Everyone loves a little bit of kindness," she responded to James's tweet. | "Everyone loves a little bit of kindness," she responded to James's tweet. |
| "I am so happy that Jacob got his recognition," Dawn tweeted in a conversation with James. | "I am so happy that Jacob got his recognition," Dawn tweeted in a conversation with James. |
| "Teens today are given bad press, not enough praise." | "Teens today are given bad press, not enough praise." |
| "Most people only email/phone to complain these days," said Dawn. | "Most people only email/phone to complain these days," said Dawn. |
| "I like to go the other way and spread the praise." | "I like to go the other way and spread the praise." |
| She also joked she would ask Jacob for his autograph when they next bought shoes, to which Jacob said to let him know when so he could be there. | She also joked she would ask Jacob for his autograph when they next bought shoes, to which Jacob said to let him know when so he could be there. |
| Jacob, who is finishing his A-levels this year, is no stranger to helping children with disabilities. | Jacob, who is finishing his A-levels this year, is no stranger to helping children with disabilities. |
| He has been working with the charity Barnardo's since he was 16 years old. | He has been working with the charity Barnardo's since he was 16 years old. |
| Calming people | Calming people |
| James said the work had "taught him a huge amount about autism, sign language and other non-verbal communication". | James said the work had "taught him a huge amount about autism, sign language and other non-verbal communication". |
| "I spend all my holidays working with children of various abilities, I really enjoy it," said Jacob, who has also picked up the sign language Makaton, which he finds very useful. | "I spend all my holidays working with children of various abilities, I really enjoy it," said Jacob, who has also picked up the sign language Makaton, which he finds very useful. |
| This coming summer holiday he plans to work overseas, helping children in need, before he comes back to apply for a firefighter apprenticeship. | This coming summer holiday he plans to work overseas, helping children in need, before he comes back to apply for a firefighter apprenticeship. |
| "I like to help people and I'm very good at calming people down when they're stressed," said Jacob. | "I like to help people and I'm very good at calming people down when they're stressed," said Jacob. |
| However, he may get an opportunity to continue working with children, as Dawn could recommend Jacob for a job at a hub for young people with disabilities, in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. | |
| Unite people | Unite people |
| IT worker James is still bursting with pride and is amazed at the responses he has had on social media. | IT worker James is still bursting with pride and is amazed at the responses he has had on social media. |
| "My phone hasn't stopped buzzing since I posted the note," James told BBC News. | "My phone hasn't stopped buzzing since I posted the note," James told BBC News. |
| "I thought it would be nice to share good news, amid all the misery at the moment. | "I thought it would be nice to share good news, amid all the misery at the moment. |
| "It's nice to unite people with some positivity." | "It's nice to unite people with some positivity." |