Successful advocacy initiatives per country

Countries:

01. Cyprus

Interview with

Marios Vryonides

Interview with

Athena Demetriou

OPEN PRISONS FOR THE COMMUNITY. To reduce the stigma, the Cyprus prisons are open to the community. After request, individuals and organized groups can visit the prisons and have the opportunity to observe the detainees’ daily life in prisons and how the prison works.

EVENTS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF PRISONS. Cyprus Prisons have collaborations with municipalities and companies out of prison by organizing events inside and outside of prisons. Through these collaborations, the detainees participate in voluntary activities that help the community and increase the civil participation and responsibilities as well as to accept the detainees as human beings. Some activities include construction of dogs’ houses and perk by detainees, blood donation, visits in elderly houses etc.

YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR SOCIAL AWARENESS. The Cyprus Prison uses the Media and creates a YouTube channel aiming to inform the community about the prison’s and detainees’ activities. By showing the positive aspects of prisons, we aim to increase social awareness, to modify the negative social representations of prisons as a useful part of the community, and to help with detainees’ reintegration in the community after their release. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLVcVtdcHx2qLzKW0TINO-g

Photo gallery:

02. The Netherlands

Interview with

Frank Becker

Interview with

Peer de Rijk

COLLABORATION WITH MUNICIPALITIES. The Province of Noord Brabant consists of 61 Municipalities, of which 10 Municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants. These Municipalities, mayor and/or alderman and civil servants who have Reintegration Detainees in their portfolio are visited by us every two years. We will then discuss with them the state of affairs in the National Prison System in Prison Grave and PrisonVught and what our ambitions are for the coming period. In addition, they indicate the developments in the policy of the Municipality regarding the reintegration of detainees. As a result, Municipal officials of these Municipalities in our Reintegration center speak to each detainee of their Municipality who resides in Prison Grave and PrisonVught and share the information with our case managers and jointly draw up a Program Plan. With effect from July 2021, the new Punishment and Protection Act indicates that this must from now on be done for every detainee and that the probation service must also be in line with this process interview. So it will be a conversation with 4 participants: Case Manager, Municipality, Probation Service and Detainee. We are currently conducting a pilot in 2 departments to gain experience on how best to organize this.

CORPORATE EVENINGS IN PRISON. Every year Jos van Lokven organizes two corporate evenings in collaboration with the Labor Department of PrisonVught, Case Managers and Security. In short, this means that about 40 to 50 employers are invited to meet PrisonVught on a Wednesday evening. These meetings have two goals: To show employers what kind of work we have at PrisonVught in order to possibly win orders and to introduce them to detainees who are motivated to work after detention. These evenings always deliver great results, because many prejudices about detainees are removed, because they see the detainees at work, and can start a conversation with them. Some of the results are that we have won some orders and that some companies have employed detainees after detention and that we can contact them for a work experience placement during detention.

Photo gallery:

03. Italy

Interview with

Claudia Rucco and Simona Massola

FREEDHOME. Exhibition and sales space for products made in the district’s prisons, located in the center of the city of Turin and therefore an important showcase of the productive activities of the social cooperatives within the institutions, where detainees are involved. Freedhome also gives the opportunity to activate work grants for detainees and detainees enrolled in the University Campus, in agreement with the city of Turin, the Piedmont Region, the University of Turin, the Turin Prison, the UEPE (Execution Office external criminal law) and the Ufficio Pio of the Compagnia San Paolo.

PROJECT “PER ASPERA AD ASTRA”. Launched 3 years ago with the coordination of a second level association (ACRI) of banking foundations and which benefits of the support granted by 12 different Italian banking foundations. In these years we have been working on promoting the initiative inside and outside prison as we wanted to widespread the efficacy of the theatre not only among detainees, but also among professionals, educators and penitentiary policy.

W.O.W.PROJECT (WIDE OPENED WALLS). Walls to be demolished that build the barrier of nonacceptance, exclusion and inequality on different areas of hardship, including those who come from the world of punishment. Production of a commercial featuring a former detainee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJh4fTbjYjc

Photo gallery:

04. Greece

The voice of an ex-convict in Greece

Interview with

Leonidas Kotoulas

Interview with

Jorgos Trantas

ESTABLISHMENT OF EPANODOS’ LIAISON OFFICES IN GREEK PRISONS AND THE LIAISONS OF SOCIAL
REINTEGRATION.
The Liaison of social reintegration is a designated, specialized employee in each Greek Prison with the responsibility of preparing the detainee for his smooth social reintegration. The Liaison provides information to released detainees about institutions and services dealing with social reintegration issues (housing, food, financial support, etc.), distributes material to detainees (printed leaflets, etc.), advises the detainee on matters relating to his life after imprisonment, assists the detainee in the issuance of relevant official documents (ie to have an social security number, tax number etc to be able to access in goods and services) and mainly connects the detainee with Epanodos by creating a supportive network of benefits and services. The Liaison is closely connected with Epanodos, is supplied with material, tips, data, etc. and, accordingly, it supplies Epanodos with corresponding material & data. Until today Epanodos cooperates closely with the 35 Liaisons of social reintegration (social workers, psychologists, etc.) appointed by the Greek Ministry of Citizen Protection of the 35 Prisons of the country. Also, the Liaisons appoint the trainers of the educational programs that are successfully carried out (since 2017) by EPANODOS in collaboration with the prisons. https://www.epanodos.org.gr

MEMORANDA OF COOPERATION WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND STAKEHOLDERS.

(1) Greek Manpower Employment Organization (OAED) – Epanodos. Memorandum of cooperation for the labor reintegration of detainees and ex-detainees. A memorandum of cooperation was signed between OAED and Epanodos with the aim of preparing the reintegration of detainees and ex-detainees into the labor market. The cooperation concerns the development and implementation of targeted actions and programs, with the aim of effectively promoting the employment of adults and minors in order to achieve their placement in jobs with parallel preparation and support. In particular, the design of the two organizations includes:

  • Vocational training programs in laboratories inside prison’s facilities in order to develop the skills of detainees to enhance their employability and easier social reintegration.
  • Development of a mechanism for the promotion of ex-detainees in specific specialties in the labor market, according to their characteristics and the needs of enterprises, as well as information of enterprises and ex-detainees on the supply and demand of labor in the labor market.
  • Awareness-Raising Actions of the Service of Special Social Groups of OAED and EPANODOS for the information and sensitization of the society for the problems faced by the detainees, the released prisoners and their families.
  • Information and promotion of the ex-detainees by the Employment Offices of Special Social Groups of OAED in actions of counseling, professional orientation, entrepreneurship, training and employment.
  • Preparation and support of the released detainees from EPANODOS for their social reintegration and provision of psychosocial and legal counseling during their adaptation to the working environment

https://www.epanodos.org.gr

https://www.ertnews.gr/eidiseis/ellada/epanentaxi-kratoymenon-kai-apofylakismenon-stin-agoraergasias-oaed-kai-epanodo-enonoyn-dynameis/

(2) Road Safety Institute «Panos Mylonas» – Epanodos. Memorandum of cooperation for implementing educational programs. The two organizations will undertake actions in areas of common interest with particular importance in the education, information and sensitization of detained and released adults and minors, in terms of Road Safety and related issues, as well as the implementation of activities, with the ultimate goal their smooth social reintegration and the reduction of road accidents.

https://www.epanodos.org.gr

https://www.ioas.gr/EN/educational_programs/

Photo gallery:

Cyprus

01. Cyprus

Interview with

Marios Vryonides

Interview with

Athena Demetriou

OPEN PRISONS FOR THE COMMUNITY. To reduce the stigma, the Cyprus prisons are open to the community. After request, individuals and organized groups can visit the prisons and have the opportunity to observe the detainees’ daily life in prisons and how the prison works.

EVENTS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF PRISONS. Cyprus Prisons have collaborations with municipalities and companies out of prison by organizing events inside and outside of prisons. Through these collaborations, the detainees participate in voluntary activities that help the community and increase the civil participation and responsibilities as well as to accept the detainees as human beings. Some activities include construction of dogs’ houses and perk by detainees, blood donation, visits in elderly houses etc.

YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR SOCIAL AWARENESS. The Cyprus Prison uses the Media and creates a YouTube channel aiming to inform the community about the prison’s and detainees’ activities. By showing the positive aspects of prisons, we aim to increase social awareness, to modify the negative social representations of prisons as a useful part of the community, and to help with detainees’ reintegration in the community after their release. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLVcVtdcHx2qLzKW0TINO-g

Photo gallery:

The Netherlands

02. The Netherlands

Interview with

Frank Becker

Interview with

Peer de Rijk

COLLABORATION WITH MUNICIPALITIES. The Province of Noord Brabant consists of 61 Municipalities, of which 10 Municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants. These Municipalities, mayor and/or alderman and civil servants who have Reintegration Detainees in their portfolio are visited by us every two years. We will then discuss with them the state of affairs in the National Prison System in Prison Grave and PrisonVught and what our ambitions are for the coming period. In addition, they indicate the developments in the policy of the Municipality regarding the reintegration of detainees. As a result, Municipal officials of these Municipalities in our Reintegration center speak to each detainee of their Municipality who resides in Prison Grave and PrisonVught and share the information with our case managers and jointly draw up a Program Plan. With effect from July 2021, the new Punishment and Protection Act indicates that this must from now on be done for every detainee and that the probation service must also be in line with this process interview. So it will be a conversation with 4 participants: Case Manager, Municipality, Probation Service and Detainee. We are currently conducting a pilot in 2 departments to gain experience on how best to organize this.

CORPORATE EVENINGS IN PRISON. Every year Jos van Lokven organizes two corporate evenings in collaboration with the Labor Department of PrisonVught, Case Managers and Security. In short, this means that about 40 to 50 employers are invited to meet PrisonVught on a Wednesday evening. These meetings have two goals: To show employers what kind of work we have at PrisonVught in order to possibly win orders and to introduce them to detainees who are motivated to work after detention. These evenings always deliver great results, because many prejudices about detainees are removed, because they see the detainees at work, and can start a conversation with them. Some of the results are that we have won some orders and that some companies have employed detainees after detention and that we can contact them for a work experience placement during detention.

Photo gallery:

Italy

03. Italy

Interview with

Claudia Rucco and Simona Massola

FREEDHOME. Exhibition and sales space for products made in the district’s prisons, located in the center of the city of Turin and therefore an important showcase of the productive activities of the social cooperatives within the institutions, where detainees are involved. Freedhome also gives the opportunity to activate work grants for detainees and detainees enrolled in the University Campus, in agreement with the city of Turin, the Piedmont Region, the University of Turin, the Turin Prison, the UEPE (Execution Office external criminal law) and the Ufficio Pio of the Compagnia San Paolo.

PROJECT “PER ASPERA AD ASTRA”. Launched 3 years ago with the coordination of a second level association (ACRI) of banking foundations and which benefits of the support granted by 12 different Italian banking foundations. In these years we have been working on promoting the initiative inside and outside prison as we wanted to widespread the efficacy of the theatre not only among detainees, but also among professionals, educators and penitentiary policy.

W.O.W.PROJECT (WIDE OPENED WALLS). Walls to be demolished that build the barrier of nonacceptance, exclusion and inequality on different areas of hardship, including those who come from the world of punishment. Production of a commercial featuring a former detainee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJh4fTbjYjc

Photo gallery:

Greece

04. Greece

The voice of an ex-convict in Greece

Interview with

Leonidas Kotoulas

Interview with

Jorgos Trantas

ESTABLISHMENT OF EPANODOS’ LIAISON OFFICES IN GREEK PRISONS AND THE LIAISONS OF SOCIAL
REINTEGRATION.
The Liaison of social reintegration is a designated, specialized employee in each Greek Prison with the responsibility of preparing the detainee for his smooth social reintegration. The Liaison provides information to released detainees about institutions and services dealing with social reintegration issues (housing, food, financial support, etc.), distributes material to detainees (printed leaflets, etc.), advises the detainee on matters relating to his life after imprisonment, assists the detainee in the issuance of relevant official documents (ie to have an social security number, tax number etc to be able to access in goods and services) and mainly connects the detainee with Epanodos by creating a supportive network of benefits and services. The Liaison is closely connected with Epanodos, is supplied with material, tips, data, etc. and, accordingly, it supplies Epanodos with corresponding material & data. Until today Epanodos cooperates closely with the 35 Liaisons of social reintegration (social workers, psychologists, etc.) appointed by the Greek Ministry of Citizen Protection of the 35 Prisons of the country. Also, the Liaisons appoint the trainers of the educational programs that are successfully carried out (since 2017) by EPANODOS in collaboration with the prisons. https://www.epanodos.org.gr

MEMORANDA OF COOPERATION WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND STAKEHOLDERS.

(1) Greek Manpower Employment Organization (OAED) – Epanodos. Memorandum of cooperation for the labor reintegration of detainees and ex-detainees. A memorandum of cooperation was signed between OAED and Epanodos with the aim of preparing the reintegration of detainees and ex-detainees into the labor market. The cooperation concerns the development and implementation of targeted actions and programs, with the aim of effectively promoting the employment of adults and minors in order to achieve their placement in jobs with parallel preparation and support. In particular, the design of the two organizations includes:

  • Vocational training programs in laboratories inside prison’s facilities in order to develop the skills of detainees to enhance their employability and easier social reintegration.
  • Development of a mechanism for the promotion of ex-detainees in specific specialties in the labor market, according to their characteristics and the needs of enterprises, as well as information of enterprises and ex-detainees on the supply and demand of labor in the labor market.
  • Awareness-Raising Actions of the Service of Special Social Groups of OAED and EPANODOS for the information and sensitization of the society for the problems faced by the detainees, the released prisoners and their families.
  • Information and promotion of the ex-detainees by the Employment Offices of Special Social Groups of OAED in actions of counseling, professional orientation, entrepreneurship, training and employment.
  • Preparation and support of the released detainees from EPANODOS for their social reintegration and provision of psychosocial and legal counseling during their adaptation to the working environment

https://www.epanodos.org.gr

https://www.ertnews.gr/eidiseis/ellada/epanentaxi-kratoymenon-kai-apofylakismenon-stin-agoraergasias-oaed-kai-epanodo-enonoyn-dynameis/

(2) Road Safety Institute «Panos Mylonas» – Epanodos. Memorandum of cooperation for implementing educational programs. The two organizations will undertake actions in areas of common interest with particular importance in the education, information and sensitization of detained and released adults and minors, in terms of Road Safety and related issues, as well as the implementation of activities, with the ultimate goal their smooth social reintegration and the reduction of road accidents.

https://www.epanodos.org.gr

https://www.ioas.gr/EN/educational_programs/

Photo gallery:

Special thanks

Check the repository of articles and other important documents on arguments supporting the case of Prison Education

Advocacy Handbook

A practical guide to successful advocacy on prison education