On 21 March 2022, it is World Down Syndrome Day. For many, this is the day of two different socks, but for us it is the perfect moment to put one of our new colleagues in the spotlight. Anneleen Vaes (°1993) has been working for our college since 22 November. She has Down's syndrome. She is responsible for a range of tasks in UCLL's research building in the Science Park in Diepenbeek.
World Down Syndrome Day 2022 @ UCLL
People with disabilities are easily employable in various roles on the labour market. It is an unprecedented pool of hidden potential. Marleen, Anneleens mother: "Companies and organisations still know too little about the possibilities of fully employing people with disabilities as paid workers. Anneleen is the second person with Down's in Flanders who is working in the regular labour market.
Anneleen has a fixed and variable package of tasks. As a logistics assistant, she looks after the plants in the building, takes care of the fish in the pond, helps keep the building tidy and distributes the mail. Anneleen also regularly knocks on the doors of the researchers who also work in the building, asking if there is anything she can do to help. In this way, she eases the workload of her colleagues, who can focus more on their research work. In this way, it quickly became apparent that she is also the 'oil and glue' for her colleagues and, as such, creates mutual connections.
Pieter Willems, director of UCL Research & Expertise: "For a defined range of tasks in our research building, we considered posting a job for a logistics assistant. Through our expertise in inclusion, we came into contact with GTB, an organisation that promotes the employment of people with disabilities. The talents of the disabled job-seekers that were presented there were a real eye-opener for us. We quickly found a good match with the vacancy. Of the three candidates, Anneleen was the best match.
Anneleen switched to inclusive education when she was eight years old. In secondary education, she followed the care course for six years. From there she continued with a course in Logistics Assistant and later on with a course in kitchen management. Besides her job at UCLL, she is active at Katholiek Onderwijs Vlaanderen and in the kitchen of a bistro.
She also came to our campus during the corona event. She gradually got to know a number of colleagues. Now that many employees are returning to the office, an exciting period is about to begin for Anneleen. Marleen: "For Anneleen it is important to have a varied and sufficiently challenging range of tasks, in interaction with colleagues. That has a binding effect on all parties.
And what does the future hold? When we ask Anneleen if she wants to continue working at UCLL Research & Expertise, she enthusiastically says she wants to do so for a very long time!