My name is Bianca and I work in project support for construction projects in the Rhine-Main region. I ease the burden on project staff by taking care of all the administrative tasks, giving them more time to concentrate on their specialist work. For example, I write logs, take care of filing, schedule appointments and manage authorisations on internal systems for external parties. In terms of the construction project, we in the support team may only be small cogs, but we are very effective. I also find it very exciting to see how the individual projects develop. I especially enjoy the contact with so many different people (both internally and externally) and the fact that there is always something new happening. It is all about overcoming the small challenges projects throw up every day.

I completed my training as an office management assistant at the Mainz regional office. The theoretical and practical elements of my training prepared me very well for my current day-to-day work. My situation as a wheelchair user was taken into account from the first day of training. I was very pleased when, as early as locker assignment, my trainer took the time to speak directly with me to determine how the storage compartment would need to be fitted so that I could use it properly. In other areas, I was able to help make daily work more accessible. As a trainee, I am proud that I was able to discuss my suggestions for improvements, such as in the canteen, with the President of the Regional Office and that some of them were directly implemented! I was also consulted on how to take wheelchair users into account when the tills were renovated. This has shown me that, as a wheelchair user, I can also make headway in inclusion myself and that is why I am now happy to continue to make a contribution.

Much has been done on the subject of inclusion at the Bundesbank. I think that, in particular, awareness of the challenges facing disabled people has increased sharply. During my training, accessing courses was often a problem for me. I was confronted with hotels with no disabled access or rooms that were “accessible” only on paper, presenting me with challenges time and again. I am therefore all the more pleased that my manager has directly addressed the problem of travel for me during my upcoming course on project support. A train ride often unfortunately involves many barriers for wheelchair users. His suggestion: He would drive with me to the venue using a company car. This spares me from any barriers that might rob me of time. I really did not expect this appreciative and caring gesture. There are other small things: When we take a lunch break together in the team, people wryly note that we do not “walk” to the canteen, but rather “go” there. As a person who cannot walk, this small linguistic gesture makes me feel explicitly included.

One thing has become very clear to me during my training and now in my work: dealing openly with my situation, being self-confident and having a sense of humour (even about myself) are the things that make it easier for me and others (also outside the Bank) to manage and overcome any hurdle or obstacle. If I notice something, I address it. And this applies not only to barriers for wheelchair users. I very much appreciate that my employer is addressing these issues. The support provided by the disability representatives also alleviates my everyday life. I am very pleased that I am in contact with the representative and that a constructive exchange can take place in many situations. Tips and tricks can thus be passed on between wheelchair users and other disabled employees.