Transition House Mechelen

Transition House Mechelen, established in 2019, is located in the center of Mechelen, a city situated between Brussels and Antwerp in the Flemish part of Belgium. The facility is managed by Sterkhuis, a collaboration between G4S Care and Exodus the Netherlands, and operates under a contract with the prison system. A transition house is a small-scale facility for people with a long sentence who have already served a significant part of their sentence in a regular prison. It is one of four transition houses currently operating in Belgium.

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SMALL-SCALE

Transition House Mechelen has a capacity of up to fifteen residents, making it a small-scale facility. All residents live together in a single house, creating a communal living environment.

SMALL-scale

Transition House Mechelen has a capacity of up to fifteen residents, making it a small-scale facility. All residents live together in a single house, creating a communal living environment.

Transition House Mechelen is a:

Transition house (during the sentence)

for:

15 PEOPLE,
Men

Indicated principles:

Community-integrated, Differentiated, Small-scale

Transition House Mechelen is a:

Transition house (during the sentence)

for:

15 PEOPLE,
Men

Indicated principles:

Community-integrated, Differentiated, Small-scale

Transition House Mechelen is a:

Transition house (during the sentence)

for:

15 PEOPLE,
Men

Indicated principles:

Community-integrated, Differentiated, Small-scale

DIFFERENTIATION

Transition House Mechelen is designed for men eighteen and older who are preparing for conditional release. Residents are admitted eighteen months prior to their conditional release. The facility mainly accommodates men who have served long prison sentences, and the admission criteria stipulate that their offenses must not be related to sex crimes or terrorism.

The house’s approach is grounded in three key principles: strength, recovery, and connection. It emphasizes building on each person’s individual strengths and supporting their personal recovery journey, while also underlining the importance of meaningful relationships. This vision is consistently reflected in how staff interact with participants, helping encourage a sense of purpose and human connection. Each of the three pillars is aimed at gradually helping participants define and reach their personal goals.

COMMUNITY-INTEGRATION

To make reintegration concrete, the transition house works together with various aid and service organisations. These organisations support the participants in various areas. In terms of help and services, for instance, the facility cooperates with organisations such as CAW, CGG, De Sleutel, Social House and Moderator. For employment, participants receive help from VDAB and various local employment agencies like 12 Work and Make It Work. Neighborhood work goes both ways: participants use regular services like shops, job centers, gyms, and public transport, just like other citizens. This helps the city, and society as a whole, give them a real chance to rebuild their lives. At the same time, the residents try to give back to their neighbors, the city, and society. Transition house Mechelen has been volunteering in the residential care center nearby for years.

Differentiation

Transition House Mechelen is designed for men eighteen and older who are preparing for conditional release. Residents are admitted eighteen months prior to their conditional release. The facility mainly accommodates men who have served long prison sentences, and the admission criteria stipulate that their offenses must not be related to sex crimes or terrorism.

The house’s approach is grounded in three key principles: strength, recovery, and connection. It emphasizes building on each person’s individual strengths and supporting their personal recovery journey, while also underlining the importance of meaningful relationships. This vision is consistently reflected in how staff interact with participants, helping encourage a sense of purpose and human connection. Each of the three pillars is aimed at gradually helping participants define and reach their personal goals.

Community-integration

To make reintegration concrete, the transition house works together with various aid and service organisations. These organisations support the participants in various areas. In terms of help and services, for instance, the facility cooperates with organisations such as CAW, CGG, De Sleutel, Social House and Moderator. For employment, participants receive help from VDAB and various local employment agencies like 12 Work and Make It Work. Neighborhood work goes both ways: participants use regular services like shops, job centers, gyms, and public transport, just like other citizens. This helps the city, and society as a whole, give them a real chance to rebuild their lives. At the same time, the residents try to give back to their neighbors, the city, and society. Transition house Mechelen has been volunteering in the residential care center nearby for years.

STERKHUIS

Transition House Mechelen

Transition House Mechelen

English report

Visited by vzw De Huizen (22-04-2025)

RESCALED

STERKHUIS

Transition House Mechelen

Transition House Mechelen

Report

Visit

Visited by vzw De Huizen (22-04-2025)

WISH-EU

STERKHUIS

Transition House Mechelen

Transition House Mechelen

Report

Visited by vzw De Huizen (22-04-2025)

RESCALED