Become a volunteer to reintegrate sex offenders

COSA focuses on reintegration of sex offenders.  

"No secrets, no new victims" is the motto of COSA, an approach of Reclassering Nederland. COSA stands for Circles of Support, Cooperation and Accountability. Together with other volunteers, you work on this together. At COSA, we call sex offenders core members. Many core members live in social isolation. Family and friends are not always in the picture anymore. This isolation increases the chances of them repeating themselves. At COSA, we try to break through this. COSA works with volunteers and professionals to break through the isolation of core members. As a volunteer, you work in groups of two to four people with a core member. You support him in his reintegration into society. For example, you will help them increase their social network or go somewhere together. As a volunteer, you are trained to recognise early risk behaviour in the offender you are linked to. You also dare to discuss these (alone or together with other volunteers). You inform the professionals involved about these risks, so they can intervene where necessary. At the start of the programme, you see each other weekly to get to know each other well. After a period of about three months, this becomes less frequent. The process is supervised by a COSA coordinator from Reclassering Nederland. 

COSA is challenging work in the area of people, crime and society. As a COSA volunteer, you actively contribute to the prevention of sex offences by 'being there' as a human being for a sex offender. Scientific research has proven that the way COSA works greatly reduces the risk of recidivism. Volunteers are selected on the basis of an introductory interview. They can then participate in a two-day training and coaching during the process. Thematic evenings and peer review are also offered so that volunteers can exchange and learn from each other's experiences. No specific prior training or background is required. Core members who participate in COSA are motivated not to create new victims. They sign a contract to that effect. 

Each volunteer receives a telephone and e-mail address for contact with the offender and other volunteers. As a volunteer, you are expected to commit yourself for a minimum of one and a half years to make a trajectory run smoothly. You will be paired with a core member by mutual agreement. This can be throughout Friesland or outside if you are willing to travel. Travel and other expenses can be claimed. Are you interested? Would you like to know more? Contact Manuela Serra on 06-46624977.

More information on COSA can also be found at http://www.cosanederland.nl.

Want to know more about our other volunteers? Then read this interview with Lammert in the Leeuwarder Courant in 2025: https://lc.nl/friesland/smallingerland/Lammert-64-ondersteunt-...

A volunteer and a core member were interviewed for the Leeuwarder Courant and also in the Dagblad van het Noorden in 2023: https://dvhn.nl/drenthe/Jeroen-29-raakte-alles-kwijt-toen-hij-...;

At Omrop Fryslan Radio, we gave an interview in 2023 and an article was also posted about working at COSA: https://www.omropfryslan.nl/nl/nieuws/1226023/kees-begeleidt-a...;

Every year, we organise a national volunteer day for all volunteers at COSA. A video of this can be found on YouTube: https://youtube.com/watch?v=3FOGZXVTri0&si=pdEPP87JlDAScws2