In the depths of the Aula, hidden below the staircases and semi-buried in the ground overlooking the rubbish containers, is the Prometheus’ office. This is Jackie Frew’s domain. She has been the face of TU Delft’s staff association for years. The untidy office is a stark contrast to her neat character. She comes across as cheerful, good humoured, and radiates a pleasant optimism.
Do you work here on your own?
“I am alone here in the office, but I have monthly meetings with the Prometheus board. And I get a lot of help from volunteers. We need one or more volunteers for each activity that we organise. I recently went to London with 50 people. I always go on the trips. On day one, a lady fell over uneven pavement badly. She had to go to hospital. So you need someone who can go with her. We arrange everything: transport, food, we talk to doctors if that is needed. The other group leader continues the group programme.”
You know London well as you come from England. How did you end up here?
“I came her for love at the beginning of the 1980s. That love passed, but my love of the Netherlands remained. I also have two Dutch children. I have lived here longer than I ever lived in England.”
What has changed over the years at Prometheus?
“There was nobody here when I started. The last staff member had already left and the office was empty. There were only a couple of retired staff members that did some activities, and there was little involvement on the part of the employees. Turning that kind of image around does not happen just like that. It took 10 years. It was trying to create quality, and offering diverse activities so that people stop thinking that Prometheus is an old-fashioned place for retired folk.”
How did you do that?
“There were a lot of sub-clubs, like a gardening group, a riding stables, and a fencing club. They were completely separate from TU Delft, operated independently, and had more external members than Prometheus members. We ended them if less than 50% was Prometheus member.. People did not like that. The gardening group was where the tram depot would come. Naturally they did not want to leave. They had a nice place in the polder. We had to deal with complaining people, who all came to me. I can handle this. You need to listen to them with a smile, show empathy, and stay positive.
After that I started to think about a wide range of activities that would appeal to as many people as possible. I have so many ideas. You do not want to know what it’s like in my head. For example, if I see a rainbow above HollandPTC, I think about whether it would be interesting to visit it with staff members. We will do this shortly.”
A golden combination: you not only think up most activities, but you make sure that they get organised and arranged.
“You also need to be able to negotiate. I cannot do this as a private individual, but as TU Delft is a known name, that helps. I am fortunate with my volunteers. I used to have to hire students once in a while to do things like carry heavy things. But they do not have the same passion as staff members who come to help.”
Internationals and young people are not used to being members of a personnel union. How do you reach them?
“By coming up with activities that they enjoy too. A trip to Disneyland for example, always attracts internationals who bring their families. People can also suggest things. One of my strong motivations is to increase the number of members and I grab every opportunity to do so with both hands. We recently went mudflat hiking and a lot of internationals of all ages joined in. It was really enjoyable. Everyone chatted with each other during the hike, people helped each other if someone got stuck in the mud, giving them a helping hand. You see that the internationals enjoy this enormously, and I hope that they tell others about it. We try to target certain groups, but it can be difficult. As an example, the HR Meet the Networks department arranged a meeting where new staff members could meet each other. We joined in too. But they stopped doing this and how new staff members will be welcomed from now on is still unclear.”
What activity did you enjoy the most?
“We do so many enjoyable things. I am happy if someone is happy with one of my activities. Coming up with a plan that works is my motivating factor especially if members from every layer of the organisation join in. We treat everyone the same and make no differences. I believe that I have the best job on campus. I have contact with so many people.”
‘You cannot do all the crazy things that you come up with’
In the next few months, Prometheus will use a classic Piaggio to hand out coffee at the faculties. It is for everyone, not only for Prometheus members. Why will you do this?
“To let people meet each other. This should be for everyone, including the people who have never heard of Prometheus. And it is a good opportunity to tell them about Prometheus. The faculties are so enthusiastic about this initiative that we only have the space for new coffee sessions in April. We cannot do them more often as we have limited resources. Although we will start something new at the end of October – a drinks reception at AS for all members. We hope that the internationals and the PhD candidates have the time at the end of the afternoon to leave the workplace for some downtime.”
There is something that really annoys you on campus…
“Yes. Cigarette butts. It looks horrible. We hold regular clean up actions. If you see the amount that we collected the last time in just half an hour with five people … When the campus became smoking free, all the cigarette butt waste bins were removed. The smoking ban is not enforced and is badly communicated. If you come onto campus, why are there no boards saying Thank you for not smoking? I often see staff smoking on the edge of the campus. This really should not happen. But I am not involved in the smoking policy, all I can do is help clean up.”
You will retire in spring. You still have a lot of plans. Will you not miss your work?
“I still really enjoy it, but I’m also a firm believer in making space for young people when you have reached pensionable age. It is also tough working the long hours that I do. Luckily they are looking to replace by job with two people as doing it on your own is very vulnerable. The senior staff member will start on 1 November, and the junior one will be recruited later. In March I will go to Lapland with a group of staff members. After that there is the annual general member meeting, and then I am done. I will read books again and work in my garden. And travel, and do voluntary work, although I do not want to do voluntary work where I have to be at a certain place every Tuesday at 10:00, for example.”
Pensioners may remain members of Prometheus. Will you stay a member? If so, will we see you from time to time?
“I am already an honorary member. That happened on my 25th TU Delft anniversary. I will not come to Prometheus at first as I do not want to be in the way of my successors. I hope they have just as lovely a time as I have had. But you will certainly see me on campus once in a while. I’ll have lunch or a coffee with colleagues who I have a bond with.”
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