As Broeder Tuck, Willem van Spaendonck is committed to creating a more inclusive labour market. Recently, he visited Driekant Craft Centre, an organic bakery where bread is not only baked with love, but where people are also given the opportunity to rebuild their lives.
Willem speaks with employee Bas Willemsen, who, thanks in part to his work at Driekant, has started looking towards the future with renewed confidence. He also talks to Managing Director Marijn Smit about the secret behind Driekant’s success.
The Story of Driekant Craft Centre
Driekant is an organic bakery with a shop and lunch café, operating from several locations in the centre of Zutphen. These days, the popular motto is often doing more with fewer people. But not at Driekant.
They believe in exactly the opposite: as many hands on the bread as possible.
The Story of Bas Willemsen
During the tour, it is immediately clear that the bakery is extremely busy. Alongside crispbreads and savoury biscuits, large batches of traditional Dutch speculaas biscuits are being baked. Bas Willemsen is carefully shaping the dough into biscuits.
As he works, he naturally begins to talk about what his job means to him.
“Driekant has given me a second chance at life. I’m making plans for the future again,” he says.
Curious, I ask what his life was like before coming to Driekant.
“I was living in Arnhem and struggling with alcohol and drug addiction. I had no job, no home—it was truly awful,” he recalls.
He started a relationship with a woman from Zutphen and moved to the historic Gelderland city for love. Through a municipal reintegration programme, he was introduced to Driekant.
“At first, I was only supposed to work here for six months, but fortunately they asked me to stay. Thanks to a few tablets, I’ve completely stopped drinking. Apart from occasionally smoking cannabis, I don’t use drugs anymore. I’ve got my life back on track, and my work and colleagues have played a huge part in that.”
When I ask Bas about his dreams for the future, he smiles.
“I’m currently applying for supported independent living. I really look forward to having a place of my own, and I also hope to rebuild my relationship with my son.”
5 Questions for Marijn Smit
- What would be the first thing you would do if you were the CEO of the UWV?
One thing is difficult to choose. The different departments need to work together much better, and everyone should understand what they are working towards. It should be about helping people, not about filling a system just so employees can say they have done their job properly. I also believe the UWV should place more trust in both job seekers and employers. - What is the secret behind Driekant?
We genuinely care about every individual. That doesn’t just apply to our managers, but also to the participants themselves. You can actually see people’s self-confidence grow here. - What is the biggest mistake you have ever made?
Mistakes are only mistakes if you don’t learn from them. That’s why I always try to learn from mine. For example, I sometimes become so absorbed in my work and the challenges that come with it that I forget to take care of myself. Fortunately, I’ve learned that the better you take care of yourself, the better you can take care of others. - What makes you most proud of Driekant?
Despite working incredibly hard, we have managed to remain one team. I still find it special every time I experience the sense of togetherness during our breaks. The diversity of people who come together here is truly remarkable, and I am incredibly proud of that. - Which well-known Dutch person would you like to meet, and what would be your first question?
I would invite the Minister of Economic Affairs, Dirk Beljaarts, to spend a few hours working alongside us. In my view, the fact that so many people are unable to participate in the labour market is primarily a waste of talent. That makes it an economic issue as much as a social one.
