Arthur Hilberdink wins the Rick Brink Award: a tribute to inclusion in practice

Arthur Hilberdink, head of the Facility Support department, has won the Rick Brink Award. He received the award during the working conference ‘Inpact: 10 years of inclusive and impactful work’ to mark the 10th anniversary of participation within the UG. We celebrated this special milestone not only to look back on what we have achieved, but also to look ahead: how can we strengthen participation in a society and organization that is constantly changing? Facility Support is at the heart of society, which is precisely why it is important that participation moves with the times and continues to reflect what is happening inside and outside the University.

Rick Brink Award

The Rick Brink Award is an initiative of the Studeren en Werken op Maat (SWOM) Foundation and is named after their colleague Rick Brink, who passed away last year and was also known as the “unofficial” former Minister for Disability Affairs. His sister, Annelies Brink, presented the award. 

With this award, SWOM honours people who work hard every day to create an inclusive working environment. Not as a project on paper, but simply on the work floor, among the people. This year, that person is our colleague Arthur. He goes beyond his role as department head. In the words of SWOM: 'He shows that inclusion is not just talk, but practice.'

Tireless commitment to equal treatment

Arthur always shows tireless dedication to the work he’s doing. He coaches colleagues, maintains contact with the UWV and the municipality, among others, and ensures structural changes. Thanks to Arthur, colleagues with occupational disabilities are included in the regular salary scales, which not only makes a financial difference, but also offers recognition and perspective. He dares to point out systemic errors and shows that inclusion is not just talk, but practice.

View the announcement of the winner by SWOM here: