"I am more than my speech disorder."

Max van Dongen (33) recently started working three days a week as a photographer at Delft University of Technology. He would have had a permanent job much sooner. He graduated from the St. Joost School of Art and Design in Breda and spent years applying for jobs. He wasn't accepted anywhere because he has a language development disorder. "It was very frustrating. I'm smart and a good photographer. Sometimes people just have to make an effort to understand me, and I can't make phone calls, but there are plenty of other options."

Max's speech disorder is a congenital condition affecting his nervous system. He attended special primary education, but then transferred to a regular secondary school. "I had an outreach worker who explained to my teachers how to communicate with me. That went well."

After high school, Max went to South Africa for a year of volunteer work. "I cared for penguins and started taking photos there. When I got home, several people told me my photos were beautiful and that I should do something with them. I then devoted myself to photography for a year and was subsequently accepted at St. Joost School of Art and Design."

Freelancing wasn't enough
After graduating, Max started freelancing, but that ultimately wasn't enough to make a living. "I couldn't express myself well enough to land any assignments. I wanted a permanent job, but I couldn't get hired anywhere." Max eventually ended up on welfare and came into contact with Werkse!He had several supervisors, but he wants to specifically thank two of them. "Consultant Corine was very helpful, and account manager Jason also worked hard on my job applications. Ultimately, I applied for a job agreement indication from the UWV (Employee Insurance Agency). This is a certificate for people with disabilities who are unable to earn the minimum wage." With the certificate, Max's information was entered into a target group register, where companies can hire employees with disabilities. Ultimately, he had the choice of working at Rijkswaterstaat (the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management) or Delft University of Technology.

Welcome to the TU
"The decision to go to TU Delft was an easy one. I live next to the university, and I thought it would be much more fun to work for a university than for the government." He's now been working for TU Delft for over a month and is very satisfied. "It took some getting used to working in such a huge organization. I wasn't used to that as a freelancer, but I've received a very warm welcome and already feel completely at home. I work two days a week for the visual communications department and one day for WIJStad, a program that aims to connect TU Delft with the city. I've already had the opportunity to photograph a few great events there. That's what I enjoy most."

There are also less enjoyable tasks. “For example, I have to photograph all the university departments, both inside and out. It's not a difficult task per se, but it is time-consuming and complicated. If I just walk in somewhere, there's a good chance I'll be turned away. So, I have to meet everyone first and tell them who I am and what I'm doing. I also have a press pass and special work uniforms so everyone knows I'm part of the team and that I'm taking photos for TU Delft. It's good to get to know the organization this way, but it's also a hassle. I'd rather have a good event.”

More than a speech disorder
Max hopes to continue photographing for TU Delft. "I don't yet know how many hours I'll ultimately be able to work here with the job agreement indication, but I've at least been given the opportunity to show that I'm more than just someone with a speech impediment." That's also his biggest tip for other companies: "A disability doesn't mean someone is stupid or can't work. Give people a chance to try and then draw your conclusions."