Marjolein Dennissen

160 The Herculean task of diversity networks Appendix 3: Continued Discourse Illustrative quotes Open up to who you are. Search for your talents and do your best. Motivation is the key to success. Accept who you are, accept your disability or the fact that you are not ‘standard material’, but also accept that sometimes others find it difficult to ask questions that they might have. Do not judge beforehand, but provide someone with time and space to express these questions. Unfamiliarity breeds contempt. Search for the connection with colleagues and with your organization and make the best of it together. Keep developing yourself and surprise others and before you know it, the prejudices are gone. (Column Tim - Network Newsletter) [About the idea of an employee with Down’s syndrome at the reception desk] I very much like that. I know that the plan.. The plan was presented on a higher level, but I know that the plan is shot down. I think that is a pity, I would have liked that. (Alice) …you can do job-carving: then you have an existing vacancy, but you are able to cut or change some tasks so the [job] is made suitable for somebody with a disability. (Andrea) Discourse of socializing [The Young Employee Network] was mainly, you are between 25 and 30, and not settled yet, and then it is mainly about, of course also the seminar, but also about the party that is coming afterwards. [The Young Employee Network] organized events with especially a lot of drinks afterwards, ski trips, well that is not the point of view of [the women’s network], that really is a serious discussion. (Edith) I have heard a lot of people who said that the [the young employee network] is the only reason to still be working at [Finance].. I have to say that when I was a trainee, and I was orienting for a job, that I too looked at other companies, but I also thought, well yeah, [the young employee network], that was really cosy [‘gezellig’ in Dutch], there were really nice colleagues there.. (Jenny) In the first place it is just an informal, cosy [‘gezellig’ in Dutch], nice network that also organizes more substantive events. Last year, we distributed a questionnaire among members, and you did notice that especially the social activities are important. (Michael) Discourse of the glorification of the young I really see [the network] as a very.. the backbone of the [organization], I think it is a very important vertebra, to express it as a metaphor. And that is because it is so important. I also really believe in the power of young people, who.. with a fresh perspective.. [Finance] really believes in that, so my vision matches the vision of [Finance] in that sense. Fresh perspective, energy, looking forward to make something of it, looking forward to initiate something. And the fact that [the young employee network] exists to create an assembly point of all those young people, that is just very powerful. (Emily) There once was a meeting of the Top 100 of the [organization] and they needed some young people for that. Well, [the young employee network] was invited for that, to see our view as young employees. So very often, when they need young people, they immediately think about the group of [the young employee network]. So in that sense it [the network] is the most convenient institute. But also for sponsoring requests or for.. as a target group. (Jenny) We are actively deployed by recruitment. Uh.. so we are being named.. we are deployed as USP [Unique Selling Points] as well in that sense.. of course also for the current campaign of [Finance] to become top-class employer. (..) [S]o, we are deployed for that, when there are in-house days and the like, there is always a stand of [the young employee network]. (Jenny)