Victor Hennemann: An ice cream hero with a heart for inclusion in Kassel!

Victor Hennemann: An ice cream hero with a heart for inclusion in Kassel!

Victor Hennemann is a minor celebrity in Kassel. The 24-year-old, who lives with Down syndrome, not only brings his guests ice cream at the Frare ice cream parlor, but also a radiant smile. He has been working in the catering industry for nine years and started his career with an internship. Today he works as a waitress and is known for his friendly manner and personal approach to his guests. The ice cream parlor has a clear mission: to promote inclusion and create jobs for people with disabilities. Victor has an employment contract financed by LWV Hessen and shows how important integration is in the workplace.

In the summer, Victor works four days in the ice cream parlor and one day in a workshop, while in the winter he works three days in the café and two days in the workshop. There he helps in the kitchen. When taking orders, Victor mainly communicates in writing because he has difficulty expressing himself clearly verbally. A writing pad is of great help to him. His parents are convinced of his zest for life and energy, but also see a need for improvement in the general inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. They are happy that Victor takes the bus and train to work independently and also walks to the café.

Inclusion in the workplace

An estimated 50,000 people live with trisomy 21 in Germany. Like Victor, many of them find employment in workshops for disabled people or on the general labor market. There are over 700 of these workshops, mainly employing people with intellectual disabilities. These facilities offer safe spaces in which those affected can realize themselves, but there are also critical voices. Some workshops complain that the transition to integrative employment is often not sufficiently supported. However, since the introduction of the Federal Participation Act (BTHG), there have been more opportunities for people with disabilities who need support to find jobs beyond the workshops. More and more people with Down syndrome are now working in the catering industry, in retirement homes, hospitals or in the artistic field.

The social participation of people with disabilities is important, not only for their self-esteem, but also for society as a whole. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities obliges the state to ensure equal participation. Employers benefit from qualified staff, especially in times of labor shortages. But the challenge remains to improve access to the labor market for people with disabilities. To date, people with severe disabilities have had a lower employment rate and are often affected by unemployment. The reasons for this are often stigmatization, mobility restrictions and difficulties in accessing education and training.

A role model for many

Victor Hennemann shows that it is possible to lead a fulfilling professional life, even with Down syndrome. His story sends a positive message to society: inclusion is possible and can succeed if the right framework conditions are created. He himself has a full leisure program that includes swimming, dancing and Tae Bo, and lives in an assisted living community where he visits his parents on weekends. The opportunities for people like Victor to actively participate in life must be further improved. Working in his beloved surroundings and interacting with guests not only make him a popular person in the ice cream parlor, they are also a building block on the way to greater inclusion.

Victor is an example of how joy at work and a fulfilling life are possible for everyone if we can work together to overcome the hurdles that often arise from prejudice and inadequate support. HNA reports that Victor works with a lot of enthusiasm and commitment in his workplace. Betanet highlights the importance of making these successes visible in order to reduce prejudices. Because every person has the right to a self-determined life and the opportunity to contribute their talents to society. The Federal Agency for Civic Education shows how decisively employers and institutions can react to the participation of people with disabilities today.