John helps them on their way

John helps them on their way John gives them another goal in life John worked within the prison walls for 15 years. His biggest pain point; the number of ex-prisoners who return within the walls after being free. '1 of the 2 prisoners who are allowed to go out, come back through the other door' John says. The ex-prisoners end up on the street without guidance, financial means or a prospect. What they do get when they leave prison is a very big stamp on their head. 'I believe that everyone who is there certainly deserves to be there, but they also certainly deserve to come back into society.' But how? 6 years ago, John and a colleague from prison came up with something about this, the Goal foundation was the result. At the Goal Foundation, they combined their mission to prevent ex-prisoners from returning to prison with their passion for football. The football world was familiar territory for John, who himself has also been a professional football player at Excelsior, among others. THE PRISONS HAVE A LOT OF TALENT What does the Goal Foundation do? 'The prisons contain a lot of talent that, with the right guidance, can be invaluable for Dutch football, both on and off the field.' How do we find that talent and how do we deploy that talent? The 'Scoring with talent' project was the solution to this question. Scouting along the field became scouting along the field but within the walls. Talents were noticed and forwarded. That's how John came into contact with them. Even before anyone was released, there was a plan of action on how these boys would be cared for when they left prison. And when the day came when the doors to a new world opened for them, they weren't alone. John gives the example of one of the participants. He was released on November 7. On that day John stood at the gate to escort him. They had a cup of coffee together and he took it home. On November 9, he had his first day at work. He got a job at a courier company. Thanks to great collaborations, the Goal Foundation ensures that the participants in the program can get started right away and rebuild their future. But not only work is considered. The program focuses on the six areas of life, including social contact. To realize this, the boys start working for a football club as volunteers. A win-win situation for the football clubs and program participants, because extra hands are always needed at an association. 'It's great to see those guys like this' Why are you doing this? When we ask John why he is doing this, a big gray appears on his face. 'The smile on their face, of course!' he shouts enthusiastically. "It's so nice to see someone enjoying life again, it's great to see those guys like this." At the Goal Foundation, we believe that everyone has a talent. 'Scoring with talent, because everyone has talent. Let's use that. That's the coolest thing there is. I try to find out about everyone's talent and create something for it. † New projects Creating new projects goes well with the Goal Foundation. In addition to programs for ex-prisoners, they also have the ambition to use their passion for football and collaborations with football clubs for low-literate people and people who have ended up in social isolation. There are also great opportunities for them. A chat can mean all the world to these people, they can also work at clubs. The Goal Foundation's largest project is to finance and renovate a residence for ex-prisoners from where they can pick up their lives again. 'But we really want this to be a place for everyone, a kind of community center where everyone can go.' What can they use help with? They can of course use help to realize these beautiful projects. While in the first instance they can pick up all ex-prisoners at the gate themselves, the foundation is growing so fast that they are now able to work hard with a close-knit team of 20 volunteers. You too can help! Whether you have a pedagogical background and can work as a supervisor or another talent that you can use at the Goal Foundation. The Goal Foundation ensures that every talent is deployed in the right place. Will you help to continue the mission of the Goal Foundation and set up all the wonderful new projects? See what you can do or send a message which talent you want to use at the foundation. Click here to go to the Goal Foundation page! Share these stories and inspire others to help too! Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Whatsapp Forward

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