The residents of Exodus houses receive guidance in regards to living, work, relations and the giving of meaning. This is an essential hallmark of the Exodus way of doing things. Exodus strives for an integral approach covering all aspects of life. After all, the reasons behind criminality generally also come down to a combination of factors.

The small scale of projects and the personal responsibility of the (ex-)detainee are other hallmarks of the Exodus approach. An Exodus house has a maximum of 20 rooms. They are places where people can find a real home, where they are treated as humans and can learn to lead their lives in a positive way on their own. Because of this, workers at Exodus never speak of clients but rather of residents. For the same reasons, those workers (whether professional or volunteer) are neither guards nor wardens, but guides and buddies, who join the (ex-)detainee on his journey through life for a while.