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Guidance: 4 keys
After an (ex-)detainee has been placed in an Exodus house, he receives an individual guidance plan aimed at four key points: work, living, relationships and the giving of meaning.
Key point: work
While the majority of Exodus residents has working experience, it is often difficult for them to find and keep a paid job. In many cases, they have performed unskilled labor, illegal work or have had a criminal income. There are also holes in their curriculum vitae as a result of their detention. Most Exodus residents are 
semi-skilled or unskilled. For some, primary school is their highest education. While unskilled labor is generally easily available, it is also highly sensitive to the economic situation. For example, this is the case in construction and the catering industry. Finding work in these industries is doubly hard for Exodus residents because they are not allowed to drink alcohol. In the catering industry the use of alcohol is the rule rather than the exception, and both in construction and in catering it is not unusual to drink alcoholic beverages after working hours. The risk to Exodus residents is great.
Aside from trouble finding a job, some of the residents also have the problem that they are used to having plentiful financial means. They not only need to learn to work in a structural manner, but they also need to learn to deal with a very limited budget. Any debts they might have on top of that make for an even greater issue.
The Exodus guide must support the resident in making choices and taking steps towards a structural return to the job market. Can he enroll in education or training? How will he get (temporary) work, even unpaid volunteer work? What support can he receive in keeping appointments and dealing with difficult situations at work? How can he deal with a limited budget? 
Key point: living
The key point living is not just about finding a personal living space, but also about preparation for being able to live on one`s own: cooking, shopping, cleaning, personal care etc. These things do not always come naturally to many ex-detainees. Some of them have never lived on their own before and were always taken care of by care centers or prisons. Others have been homeless until they were detained.
One of the biggest problems with the key point of living is the lack of (affordable) living spaces. Finding an affordable living space in Amsterdam can take years. For a successful resocialization it is important that residents have somewhere to go after the Exodus program, which only lasts up to 12 months. Because of this, Exodus makes a lot of deals with municipal authorities and building corporations about declarations of urgency and the availability of living space. In many cases, finishing the Exodus program is a prerequisite for getting one of these declarations of urgency, making it another way of stimulating residents to cooperate in a positive way.
Key point: relationships
Residents work together with their guides in (re-)building relationships and maintaining them for the sake of resocialization. Any relationship counts, whether family, partner, or friends. It is however also important to look for new friends and to maintain distance from old criminal relations.
This process can be complicated by travel distance, small social circles and estranged families that want nothing to do with the resident. This can happen as a result of earlier disappointment, threats or even victimization of family members.
Furthermore, Exodus imposes rules of leave, especially for those who spend time with Exodus for the sake of a judicial title. This means that these residents can only see their families in the weekend, and only in the latter phases of the program.
For people with a history of addiction it is even more difficult to build and maintain good relations. Under the influence, they often only had the most basic knowledge of their friends` situations, which is very different from building a close relationship.
Key point: giving meaning
The fourth key point in the Exodus program is the giving of meaning. This point receives the attention of Exodus guides in both group conversation and individual conversation. There is room for questions like "How do I deal with guilt?", "Why is this happening to me", or "What makes my life worth living, and for who and what do I want to apply myself?" Residents are encouraged to find their personal answer to these sorts of questions. A religious answer to these questions is encouraged, but residents at all times make their own choices. Exodus is not an evangelizing organization: it is open to all walks in life.
To talk about the questions of meaning, a guide must first develop a bond of trust with the resident. This takes time, more so because the guide is not only a mentor but also fills several different roles. For example, guides are also group leaders in shared activities. They must also place sanctions on residents who break the house rules or fail to adhere to agreements. Many residents also see their guide as a part of the justice system, because Exodus reports to Probation when someone is in the Exodus program with regard to a judicial title.
The giving of meaning is not just the subject of individual conversation: there are also theme nights that touch the subject.
