Rob (26) worked in prison. He taught his colleagues in self-defense and mental toughness. And he was a sports instructor for the prisoners several days a week. He changed course and now works at a secondary school in Eindhoven. It was a golden opportunity because the school was looking for fifty new employees. “We certainly have rascals here too.”
“It’s all still innocent here,” says Rob with a smile. “Jokes and pranks. See how far they can go. There is no harm in that.”
This summer, Rob saw the call from Global College Eindhoven, part of Stedelijk College Eindhoven. The school could no longer cope with the influx of children from abroad. The city was flooded with children from twelve to sixteen years old. Fifty employees were wanted there. An almost impossible task in these times of staff shortages.
A background in education was not even necessary. It became a golden opportunity for Rob. “I have always wanted to go into education.”
Rob was hired as day coordinator. He keeps an eye on how the children are doing. “The moment I see that a student is not feeling comfortable, I have a conversation. What is going on? Can we do something for you? But we also have nice conversations. You played football last week. Did you win?”
“It is immediately noticeable when something is wrong with a student.”
At Global College Eindhoven the children learn the Dutch language and culture. A few weeks ago, the school’s third location on Rector Baptistlaan in Eindhoven was opened.
Rob’s workplace is there at the entrance. The 120 students first pass by him when they start the day. Anyone who is absent or arrives late will have a chat with Rob. During breaks he walks across the schoolyard to talk to the children.
In prison he acquired a lot of human knowledge that he can now use at school. “In prison you quickly notice if something is about to happen. Or what leg they used to get out of bed. You learn to figure that out quickly. I can use that here too. It is immediately noticeable if something is wrong with a student. He isolates himself. You notice that.”
The school has children from different countries with different backgrounds. “You have children here who come from a war situation and expats. When they come to school here, they leave all that behind them. They quickly become friends.”
“There is a completely different atmosphere.”
Rob would like to guide the children. “If you offer people a lot of opportunities, they are more likely to find their place in society. Be less likely to take the wrong path. They work towards a good place in society. I would like to contribute something to that.”
The difference with work in prison is big. “It is very friendly at school. They really appreciate having lessons here. In prison they do not appreciate that they are incarcerated. They prefer to be outside. There is a completely different atmosphere.”
There is also an agreement with the prison. “They remain students. Sometimes they push their limits. You must clearly indicate your boundaries. What is and is not possible. If someone crosses your line, you have to say so clearly.”
