Become a volunteer to reintegrate sex offenders

COSA focuses on reintegration of sex offenders.  

"No secrets, no new victims" – that is the motto of COSA, an initiative run by the Dutch Probation Service. COSA stands for Circles for Support, Cooperation and Accountability. You will work on this together with other volunteers. At COSA, we refer to sex offenders as ‘core members’. Many core members live in social isolation. Family and friends are often no longer part of their lives. This isolation increases the likelihood of them reoffending.  At COSA, we try to break this cycle. COSA volunteers and professionals work together to break the isolation experienced by core members. As a volunteer, you’ll work in groups of two to four people alongside a core member. You’ll support them in their reintegration into society. For example, you might help to expand their social network or go out together. As a volunteer, you will be trained to recognise early signs of risky behaviour in the sex offender you are paired with. You will also feel confident in raising these issues (either alone or together with the other volunteers). You will inform the relevant professionals about these risks, so that they can intervene where necessary. At the start of the programme, you will meet weekly to get to know each other well. After a period of around three months, the frequency of these meetings will be reduced. 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