Column Nadia: 'As long as the talent is greater than the challenge we at Ictoria dare'
Nadia van den Heuvel (40) is fanspastic as she calls herself. She owns design agency Ictoria, a company where people with disabilities can develop and move on to other companies. In this contribution, Nadia talks about the adventures she experiences with her colleagues.
Photo by Nadia van den Heuvel, owner of design agency Ictoria. She sits at the table with her colleagues.
How would you feel if your world was no bigger than just the inside of your house? This may sound crazy, but for some people this is reality. I would like to introduce you to Dennis*. With lots of challenges and only one wish that surpasses every challenge: to become a web designer. Dennis hardly ever leaves his house because of agoraphobia. Not being able or daring to leave his house causes quite a few limitations, even in terms of finding or performing work. After all, you can’t fill boxes in the bathroom. But Dennis is living proof that one email can be enough. He sent as many as three hundred emails with his motivation and resume and only got one reply.
Starting a work experience position
En dat antwoord kwam van Ictoria. Zolang het talent groter is dan de uitdaging durven we het bij Ictoria wel aan te gaan. Dennis is bij ons gestart met een arbeidservaringsplaats waarin hij professioneel, maar ook als mens enorm groeide. Hij geniet ook van de kleinste kantoorgewoontes, zoals de groepsapp waarin we van alles delen. Vanzelfsprekend zit Dennis nu ook in de app – het is voor hem het bewijs dat hij erbij hoort.
'Dennis is living proof that one e-mail can be enough. He sent no less than three hundred e-mails with his motivation and CV and only got one reply, which was from Ictoria.'
A complex case
When the work experience place came to an end after three months, we had to get his work at home accredited by UWV in order to be able to offer him a contract. This is necessary because Dennis has been out of the labor force for a long time and the new job must actually fit his talent. This is all aimed at preventing overcrowding. At UWV they talked about “a complex case” to pull this off. But because I don’t just give up, I asked my UWV contact Carolien Coerwinkel for help and she put me on the trail to UWV labor expert Erik van Assem. Together we came up with the idea of a one-month trial placement to still comply with all the rules and in this way allow Dennis and Ictoria to make a wonderful step forward.
Taking training at the Competence Factory
Dennis learned the web design trade himself, but there is obviously much more to learn. That is why he will soon follow a training at the Competence Factory. In consultation, we have adjusted the training for him slightly. The result is that Dennis will soon have a certificate and he will be an asset to every marketing or web agency. In any case, I can proudly announce that Dennis joined team Ictoria on August 1. Because talent is often often greater than an apparent obstacle.
*Dennis is not his real name, to avoid fans at the door we changed the name. But most of all, be inspired.
Read the original piece on the UWV website.
