x – stands for “x-cons”

 

Day 27; X stands for X-cons; support after freedom 

“I DON’T LIKE JAIL; THEY GOT WRONG KIND OF BARS IN THERE”
CHARLES BUKOWSKI

This is a re-published post – from last years “A-Z challenge” – because I can in all honesty don’t find anything more important to write about this year for letter “X”. We don’t have that much of importance that starts with X. Hope you forgive me. And last year I had very few followers too – had just started blogging.

Heard about this Swedish organization a couple of years ago – under the their old name: KRIS (Crises)  – KRIS is still organization that works for helping criminals to their way back into the society – but unlike KRIS, allowing X-CONS membership to people with doctor’s prescribed treatment of narcotic drugs – such as methadone or Subutex for opiate dependence, or Corecta for people with ADHD. Think this something that every country should have – because it’s not only a question about punishment – it’s a question about have a chance to be able go back into a normal life in society, when the price is payed and be able to stay out of problem. What I don’t understand  that our governments don’t support organizations like this. Sure there is many out there – all over the world, that never been heard of.

Honesty
Togetherness
Future
= gives us community.

(text: snowmedia.se) – website on Swedish only
“X-CONS is a non profit organization in which the former criminals and addicts helping each other back into the community and through a secession crisis in late 2008, changed its name in 2009 to just X-CONS. Its purpose is to support and give criminals and drug addicts and released to an honest and drug-free life. The organization’s main compound is in Stockholm with about 750members, and then there are the local association of Jämtland /Härjedalen and a lot of branches and embryos to X-CONS associations in the country. When including Hässleholm, Sollentuna,Haninge, Gävle, Helsingborg and in Gotland and a whole lot of other places. While international engagement with the start of the X-CONS in other countries. X-CONS Stockholm is ex-Kris Stockholm which was founded in October 23-97 and is the largest single crime prevention association in Sweden with about 45 people involved on a daily basis to help themselves and their brothers and sisters. The association organizes social activities for members and carries outvisits to prisons and jails as well as lectures in schools and more. X-CONS Stockholm was a big part in the survey made to study the then association’s performance, it became one of the best in Sweden.

They have now started a project for youth called – JOIN THE MATCH:
“Being young and unemployed is not an easy match today. For those young people also lack training, have a number of dots in the police file drug problems and a bunch of friends in the same situation, it is almost impossible to enter the labour market.

X-CONS have a three-year project through a combination of work experience and practical vocational training to help young people with criminal backgrounds and / or past substance abuse problems and a lack of educational skills to enter the labour market.”

X-CONS idea is to help people who are released from prison to stay away from crime and drugs by offering them a new common and drug-free social network. An important step in this effort is to meet someone for early release from prison. The prisoners with substance abuse in their luggage often comes back directly to their old circles of addicted “friends.”

What happens on day of release?
“The day the member is released, we meet up outside the gates. Our thought is that he or she is getting one themselves choose what he or she wants to do. We set up for most things in the economy we have. We are then on hand with a mentor to help and support after release.”

Member of the organisation has to pay a yearly fee of 100SEK/£9.30/$15.00/€11.25 – well spend money for what the work they are doing. They are surviving on donations only and voluntary workers, all X-cons themselves or recovered drug abusers.

They are now working also in Vietnam, Ukraine, Latvia, Belarus, and Thailand. Today are quite few of our heavy weight artists, musicians and actors supporting the organisation.

This track is absolute one of my favorite Swedish pop songs and has been since it was release in Swedish. I never get tired of it, love the lyrics. Frida and Ratata – As Long As I Have You – The song, first recorded in Swedish – “Så Länge Vi Har Varann” – has become a Swedish classic. Frida from ABBA and Ratata, a band of 4 members started in 1980 –  the most famous member I will say was  Mauro Scocco, still going strong  and successful as solo artist. In 1983 they became a duo, Johan Ekelund and Mauro Scocco and they recorded this song together with Frida. It became a massive hit here in Sweden. The duo split in 1989. Music and lyrics by Johan Ekelund and Mauro Scocco. Very suitable for this post about support and friendship.

“So Long As I Have You”

i know, i’ve not been easy to live with
i guess that i can say the same about you
but i’ve been around just long enough to learn
that nothing in this life’s for free
so remember when you’re down and out baby
you can still count on me

look at me now
through the good times and the bad
i’ll never stop believing
in what we have
i said to myself; keep trying
and that’s what i’m gonna do
as long as i have you

i can’t tell you about tomorrow
i can’t even swear about today
but i know that i’m not solving any problems
by running away

so here i stand, not knowing what to say
i need to love you, in my own strange way
and this far down the line
it’s time for me to say;
i’m here to stay

look at me now
through the good times and the bad
i’ll never stop believing
in what we have
i said to myself; keep trying
and that’s what i’m gonna do
as long as i have you

and heart to heart, we can start all over
it’s just a matter of trying
i was trying to hide, i was running for cover
when our love was dying

look at me now…

Photo’s provided by;
snowmedia.se/98fm.com/buzzle.com/weekendnotes.com/rubywildflower.com/
justsaypictures.com/121.nu/lindseylu8.blogspot.com/lastfm.se