Football, Mentoring, Community
Helping People, Step Out, Stay Out, And Move Forward
SOSO (Step Out Stay Out) uses the power of football, mentoring and lived experiences to support people away from crime and into positive, connected and purposeful futures.
Football
Building confidence, teamwork and discipline through the game.
Mentoring
One-to-one support and guidance from people who've been there
Community
Creating safe spaces, strong connections and lasting support.
Progress
Helping people step out, stay out, and move forward with purpose.
Seen First-Hand
What people say about SOSO
From prison governors to football educators, these words come from people who have seen Pete and SOSO’s work up close.
Your credibility as someone who has been there is invaluable. Prisoners listen to you because you know what it's really like.
Learners were genuinely engaged in development, seeing the course as a massive opportunity to improve their future upon release.
Spent a really good morning with Pete Bell up at Stocken Prison. Using football as a tool to battle re-offending and to provide education. Looking forward to the possibility of working together in the near future.
I go in and tell them my story in plenty of detail. It’s important they know everything I’ve been through. Once they hear that, it usually makes them sit up and listen.
The aim is to inspire them and make them realise there is hope for them.
Built from Lived Experience
Why SOSO Exists
Pete Bell knows what it means to need a way forward. After prison, loss and years without direction, football and education gave him a route into a different life. He went on to become a qualified coach, coach educator and mentor, then created Step Out Stay Out to help others find the same kind of opportunity.
Today, SOSO works in prisons, schools and local communities, using football, mentoring and trusted relationships to help people step away from crime, build confidence and move towards something better.
In the Community
Programmes in Action.
Practical programmes that use football, mentoring and education to build confidence, create opportunity and support positive change.
Friday Kickabout
Every Friday we get together for a relaxed game of football. Everyone's welcome - doesn't matter your background or how good you are. It's about having a kick around and meeting people.
Walking Football
Football at walking pace for anyone who wants to stay active without the running. It's social, it's fun, and it keeps you moving.
Prison Rehabilitation
We run football sessions inside prisons and support people to build confidence, learn new skills and work towards FA qualifications. It’s about giving people something positive to focus on, both now and after release.
Using Football to Build Brighter Futures
Pete uses his own story of turning things around to inspire others. His project is already making a huge difference.
Upcoming Sessions & Events
Youth Football Session
Weekly football sessions for young people to build skills, confidence and positive relationships.
Mentoring Drop-In
One-to-one mentoring that supports personal development, goals and better choices.
Community Outreach
Connecting with local families and individuals through activities that matter most.
From the Archive
SOSO in the Community.
A look back at the sessions, partnerships, prison visits, community days and milestones that shaped Step Out Stay Out.
Friday Kickabout
A regular space for young people to play football, meet others and feel part of something positive in Clifton.
Jumpers 4 Goalposts
A community football day bringing local people, partners and young players together around the game.
Through our programs across Nottingham
Football, Mentoring. Lived Experience
HAF Programme
Food, sport and holiday activities for young people.
Community Day
Young people, families and local partners coming together.
Walking Football
Staying active, having a chat and keeping connected.
SOSO gave me more than a game. They gave me a belief, structure and people who cared.
SOSO gave me more than a game. They gave me a belief, structure and people who cared.
News & Updates
Step Out Stay Out invited to the Lord Mayor’s Afternoon Tea
Step Out Stay Out was invited to the Lord Mayor’s Afternoon Tea at Nottingham Castle on Sunday 2 August 2026 in recognition of our work in the Clifton community.
Pete Bell Receives High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire Award
SOSO founder Pete Bell was presented with a High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire Award by Paul Southby in recognition of his services to the community.
Step Out, Stay Out Recognised in Parliament
SOSO founder Pete Bell and our Jumpers 4 Goalposts event were recognised in the House of Commons by Lilian Greenwood, MP for Nottingham South.
Our Young People Visit Nottingham Forest's City Ground
Our young people were invited to Nottingham Forest's City Ground for a behind-the-scenes tour, meeting first-team players and sitting in the manager's dugout.