Rabobank and the Refugee Talent Hub have been working together since 2019. More than 70 status holders now work at the bank and the collaboration has been expanded: since last year, Rabobank has been seconding employees to the Refugee Talent Hub. Chantalle Stottelaar was the first to take the opportunity to step away from her daily work as an SME account manager for six months. At the Refugee Talent Hub she used her experience and passion, and her ambitions became clearer. We spoke to Chantalle together with Janine Vos, Chief Human Resource Officer of Rabobank, about the value of secondment.

Please note: this article was translated using a translator app

Growing a better world together

 Rabobank's mission, Growing a better world together, fits seamlessly with the why of the Refugee Talent Hub. Both organizations want to make the world a better place, in their own way. Janine explains: “We are a mission-driven cooperative. That means something. We also finance solutions for social problems, for example we look at social inequality and inclusion. But it should not be limited to words, we also want to show it ourselves.”

Meaning and skills

 “We also see that more and more people are looking for more meaning in their work. As an employer, you want to facilitate this because you value your employees and want to retain them. This can of course be done in different ways; one of these is by giving employees the opportunity to work at the Refugee Talent Hub for six months. It is important for Rabobank because in this way we support a foundation that fits our mission. And a nice side effect is that employees also gain new skills - it is enriching - and thus they develop skills of the future. In short, if you look in the long term, it is simply an advantage for all parties.”

Photo: Janine Vos

Added value

 “I completely agree with you,” Chantalle adds. “I experienced my period at the Refugee Talent Hub as extremely valuable. I was pleasantly surprised by the opportunity I was given to work externally and also noticed that I could apply my experience well. I have also learned a lot about myself: I would like to continue in the field of project management within diversity and inclusion. It is also nice to feel that I can give so much back to the bank.”

It's about getting opportunities

 Chantalle's story shows why secondment can be so valuable for someone personally. Her Peruvian mother never had the opportunities she deserved in the Netherlands – despite a double master's degree: she worked in cleaning for 25 years. Chantalle saw up close what that did to her mother's self-confidence. “From the sidelines I saw how that door closed every time because of all the prejudices.” That experience is an extra motivation for her to take control of her career and to want to make a difference for other people. “It's all about the opportunities you get. I think everyone deserves such an opportunity. I want to commit myself to that.”

 At the Refugee Talent Hub, Chantalle was responsible for collaboration with partners such as Rabobank, ABN Amro, EY, KPMG and Achmea. The projects and activities she organized with them were all aimed at improving the position of people with a refugee background on the Dutch labor market. “I have had many opportunities and the chance to live in different places in the world. In addition to my mother's experience, my own experiences abroad are also useful to me. That helps me understand newcomers better, I think. Because starting your life again somewhere else is not something that is easy.” She was able to put that empathy and strength to good use in her role at Refugee Talent Hub.

Building connection

 Her secret weapon? “Stay personal and show yourself vulnerable in your own strength. For example, I shared my story with the participants of the Finance Academy. That made it clear that everyone has a personal story. It creates trust and with that you build real connection.” And she wants to continue doing that. She enthusiastically talks about her desired next step: “I want to contribute to the implementation of the diversity and inclusion policy. Making a difference in the field of unconcious biases, inflow, progression and retention. For refugees and other newcomers, and for people with a bi-cultural background. I want to create change and positively influence the social image!”

 The energy and ambition shine through. If this secondment experience tells us one thing, it is that it benefits everyone: for the Refugee Talent Hub, for the partner organization and for the seconded person themselves. Thank you for your efforts over the past six months - we will continue to follow you, Chantalle!

Curious about more about our collaboration with Rabobank? We also spoke extensively with Janine Vos about the theme of refugees and work. More about that soon - keep an eye on our newsletter and socials!