On Sunday, 26 January, sixty children from the weekend school Petje Af Amersfoort came to UMC Utrecht. The day was an initiative by the Diversity and Inclusion Platform of UMC Utrecht.  The children had a wonderful day exploring the campus and gained lots of insights into what it would be like to work here.

When the children first arrived, there was a reception with lemonade and a cake. This was followed by a short introduction by Cecily Stolte, outreach coordinator here at UMC Utrecht. Cecily explained to the children that eleven thousand people work at UMC Utrecht and that every one of those staff members are important. The children then went on a tour of the facilities and made a stop in one of the practical rooms where they were able to gain first-hand experience behind a microscope.

The children were first shown the skin of an onion. ‘Cool, I see cells’, one of the children said excitedly.   ‘It looks like a wall with all its bricks’, another child commented. The children then continued to experiment with other familiar objects such their train tickets and mobile phones. They were particularly impressed by the pixels on their screens.  ‘Oh so many colours’!  After the lab, they had a short break.

Wave to the cooks

After the break, the children headed to the kitchen. On the way, they passed a gentleman in a robe with an IV pole.  ‘Oh my God’, one of the girls exclaimed, turning her face away in shock. Moments later, the group was delighted to walk past the restaurant's display cases. ‘Mmm frikandellen’.

In the kitchen corridor, Jan Roolvink, manager of Restaurants & Banqueting, spoke to the children  about the importance of hygiene in a hospital kitchen.  ‘That is why we are allowed to look through the window, but are not allowed to go inside’, Jan explained. The children were then told that the chefs wear special white clothes and green caps on their heads to help ensure hygienic conditions. Before the kids moved on, the chefs behind the window waved goodbye. The children were then shown the washing-up kitchen, where they were confronted with the very strong smell of a certain cleaning agent.  ‘It smells like sheep’, one of the children commented. With pinched noses, the children then listen to the story of how the dishes go up through the ceiling to the washing-up kitchen.

Goodbyes

The children’s tour (which took approximately two hours) ended in the room they started in. Cecily said her final words and asked the kids whether they could see themselves working in a hospital and what they’d like to do? The responses were wide-ranging; from cardiologist, midwife, CliniClown and security guard. Cecily also asked them what they found most interesting on the tour. ‘I think the cancer cells were the coolest. They were yellow and purple’, one of the young girls commented. However, her friend thought the kitchen was the most interesting part of the tour, ‘It’s really handy how the dishes go up through the ceiling’. The kids gathered their stuff and waved goodbye which brought an end to a really spectacular day.

For everyone

The Diversity and Inclusion Platform has generated a lot of interest from our Faculty and Education Centre. Our goal is that every child, regardless of his/her socio-economic status, ethnicity, or personal story, knows from an early age that UMC Utrecht welcomes them and wants to offer them equal opportunities before and during their studies. That is why this wonderful collaboration with the weekend school Petje Af Amersfoort has been created.

Petje Af

Petje Af  is a non-profit organisation for curious children between the ages of 10 and 14. Every Sunday, inspiring volunteer guest teachers provide fun and educational classes across four different locations in Amersfoort or at the guest teacher’s workplace. UMC Utrecht has collaborated with Petje Af in a series of events introducing the children to our university and the healthcare industry. The children were given a guided tour of the facilities to help give them an impression of what our university has to offer and all the career possibilities.

Text: Riëtte Duynstee