Maija Powell
A spotlight on Bartlett Disability Role Model, Maija Powell.
I’m a Senior Marketing Manager at The Bartlett. I’m a communicator, problem solver and enjoy analysing data to understand more about patterns, trends, and how we can improve our marketing.
Can you describe your disability and how it impacts your daily life?
I have a lot of challenges with emotional regulation. Before I got support, this was especially changeable on a regular basis with periods of being 150% super-charged to periods of being barely able to get out of bed. Over time I’ve figured out the complex web of inter-related challenges I have that lead to this. It’s been much easier to manage with the right medication and understanding my bandwidth more. I can still have meltdowns and burn outs, but these generally only last a day or two now.
I’m trying to unpick masking day-to-day. When I work in the office, I really notice the impact on my wellbeing. If I'm low bandwidth it can really sap all capacity, which doesn’t bode well for the rest of the working week. Being able to identify when this is starting to impact me, and having autonomy over my home working/working patterns really helps.
I have challenges engaging with people I don’t know. This was really pronounced when I was part of an organisational change and started a new job working with a lot of new departments. I was also hyper aware of some of the repetitive behaviours and movements I have that people I’d worked with before for 6 years were used to, which was really draining.
How has your relationship with your disability evolved over time?
It has been really challenging understanding my disabilities and accessing the support I need for most of my adult life. A year ago, I reach the tipping point and pushed through navigating every avenue I could to get support. The medical system is a maze, I hit so many dead ends and endless waiting lists. Had I not had support from work, and particularly from my line manager, I would not have been able to dedicate the time and mental resources required to work through this.
It’s been transformational. Understanding my bandwidth, the signs when things may be going off kilter and finally getting appropriate medical support positively impacts me every day.
What do you wish your colleagues or students understood about living with a disability?
Each day could be different, and I don’t always have the capacity myself to manage the impact that will have on my work. I have an adjustments passport in place to help and I gladly share it with key people I work with.
Are there any resources, tools, or practices you’ve found particularly helpful as a disabled professional?
The most impactful resource I use is an emotion and feeling wheel. Both my disabilities make identifying and responding to emotions very challenging. I have this saved on my desktop and frequently refer to it when I’m having challenging conversations to understand what the driver is of my reaction is, and then the nuances of what has made me feel this way. Understanding the source of why I have had this reaction can then give me the clarity to respond.
Are there any resources or initiatives you’d recommend to other disabled students or staff?
Training for managers. Learning how to listen to a person with a disability, understanding what adjustments they need, understanding how sickness absence is applied, sources of support and so much more would be invaluable for managers to be equipped with in advance, rather than in the moment when working with a colleague with a disability for the first time.
If you could influence one change in the way universities support disabled staff and/ or students, what would it be?
Contracting an employee assistance programme with specific disability support.
What role do you think allies (non-disabled colleagues) should play in creating a more inclusive workplace?
Listen, take feedback, and adjust. Don’t question. Work with occupational health experts to explore and accommodate reasonable adjustments.
I think all allies, and line managers, should read up on UCL’s support for staff and students with disabilities. In my early days at UCL I found it hard to navigate and access the support I needed. Fortunately, the information available has significantly improved over time, and networks like The Bartlett Disability Collective will only support people further.