By Jorge Martinez and Sanne Alblas of EEMCS Diversity and Inclusion Team (EDIT).

​​The Diverse Ability initiative is a ground-breaking opportunity for employees to connect and join forces. This new resource group initiated by Mireille Howard-Snels will provide employees with a diverse ability (a chronical disease, physical or psychological (a.o. neurodivergent) variety) a platform where they can find support with peers and join forces to try and make the TU Delft a more diverse and inclusive university.  A call to join the "Diverse Ability" employee resource group is open now.

EDIT: Hi Mireille, thanks for accepting giving us this interview. You are the initiator of “Diverse Ability”, to our opinion a very important initiative for employees of TU Delft. Maybe you can start by introducing yourself and explain us your motivation?

Mireille: Sure Jorge, thank you. Let me introduce myself: I am Mireille Howard Snels. I am 50 years old and work as a Senior Policy and Quality Assurance Officer for the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (ME). Three years ago, at 47, I was diagnosed with Autism and ADHD. I then already had the diagnoses gifted and bipolarity/dysthymia.

After my diagnosis, I felt sad and relieved at the same time. Sad, because none of the psychologists and psychiatrists I had consulted over the years, had found the cause of my depression, agitation and restlessness and I had spent so much time not knowing. Moreover, my diagnoses were not a disease which could be ‘cured’. Relieved, because I could finally get suitable support for my depression and anxiety, and started to discover my own ‘manual’. Finally, I understood why my professional and personal life had always been a struggle, even though I always had high grades at school and university.

I have had a hard time to accept my diagnoses and to be accepted. At work, it was difficult at first to ask for and receive accommodations in my tasks and work place. I noticed there was little knowledge, awareness and understanding about working with a ‘diverse ability’ and little flexibility to accommodate employees who are a ‘little different’.

Now after three (or 50?) years the dust has settled I have found my footing both professionally and personally. I have learned my boundaries and how to keep them. I have learnt in which circumstances I can excel and flourish and I am able to express my needs. As well, I have discovered my strong traits which are related to ADHD and Autism (good memory, meticulous, analytical, focused, organised, structured, detailed, dedicated, loyal, reliable, honest, open, spontaneous, enthusiastic, quick, etc.). At this point, I wanted to give my difficult journey meaning and make sure that what I experienced (feeling lonely and not understood and supported) would not happen to other employees like me. Therefore in Autumn 2022, I contacted the D&I Board and the D&I Office, and pitched the idea of an employee resource group for employees with a ‘diverse ability’ (a chronical disease, physical or psychological (a.o. neurodivergent) variety). They recognised the need and therefore welcomed the idea and supported and accepted my proposition.  

EDIT: Mireille your story is touching. We find your commitment to make a change inspiring and encouraging. We are glad to hear you are given the green light to initiate the Diverse Ability resource group. We believe your initiative opens the door for a safe place for people to connect, discuss and raise awareness on the fact that we all have talents and needs, and when we have our needs fulfilled our talents can flourish.  What is the aim of your initiative?

Mireille: The aim of establishing an employee resource group is to create a platform where employees are able to find support and peers. By functioning as a sounding and advisory board, and additionally, as a knowledge network, this platform should create more awareness, knowledge and understanding within the TU Delft working community. The aim is also to create more openness and positivity and mitigate what is taboo.

The idea is to reach out to the TU Delft working community to exchange experiences, to share and build knowledge, for example, by creating an intranet page, a knowledge bank, to organise events and knowledge meetings, give solicited and unsolicited advice, etc.

EDIT: What can we employees do to support the initiative?

Mireille: The employee resource group is in its initial stage. If you would like to support me with the development or if you have ideas or suggestions, please feel free to contact me. As well, if you want to become a member of our group, you are very welcome. Please contact me via m.m.howard-snels@tudelft.nl or https://www.linkedin.com/in/mireillesnels/

EDIT: Thank you very much Mireille, we in EDIT (EEMCS Diversity and Inclusion Team) would be very happy to continue our close collaboration in making Diverse Ability the place to support, connect, discuss and raise awareness on this dimension of intersectionality.