Pour information : c’est la Résistante Germaine Tillon, panthéonisée en Mai 2015 ( et qui avait une maison en Bretagne dans le Morbihan à Plouhinec où elle résidait souvent, entre 1974 et 2004) qui a crée en 1963 le premier poste d’enseignant en milieu pénitentiaire en France.

VALMOPRIS project are running an online questionnaire adressed to professionals teaching in prison.

If you have a minute it will be good if you can help the partners of this project by filling in the QA on the following link.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/HPJM59Q

Thank you 

Joe

Dear all,

This is a very interesting space to share educational practices of adult education. We were reading and learning from the contributions and wanted to share the experience conducted in several women prisons in Spain. Actually, the following is the abstract of a publication in which explains the life experiences of a female Moroccan inmate participating in Dialogic Literary Gatherings. We encourage you to read the article to find detailed information on this successful educational action. 

Abstract: Amina is a female Moroccan prison inmate who has participated in Dialogic Literary Gatherings (DLGs) in a prison in Catalonia for 2 years. As a woman and without basic studies, she encountered many obstacles that led her into social exclusion, drug addiction, and involvement in the activities that in turn led to her incarceration. Sharing ideas with her fellow inmates about the works of Kafka and Brecht has had a significant impact on her own thoughts, allowing her to reconstruct her past and anticipate a new, hopeful future. This biography describes the transformative elements that empowered Amina to recreate her history through the literary interpretations she shared in DLG. The biography also highlights Amina’s new challenges and dreams, such as pursuing secondary education during her incarceration and going to college once she leaves prison.

Pulido, C. (2015). Amina, Dreaming Beyond the Walls. Qualitative Inquiry. vol. 21,  doi:10.1177/1077800415611691

Thank you,

FACEPA’s team

Hi all,

Great that you are having this event on here this week and some very useful information posts, well done all!

It would be great if we, prison educators, had a permanent forum that we could share ideas etc. Is there such a thing or could/would EPALE consider setting up such a forum? I hardly have the time this week to review all this material and user contributions and it's a shame that, as I presume it will, this thread will disapear at the end of the event? 

A permanent home for prison educators around Europe would be a fantastic recourse for all and I'm sure well used.

Thanks for what you have done this week!

Regards,

Paul 

A humble prison teacher of Maths and IT in Wheatfield Prison, Dublin, Ireland.

Moltes grácies, companys del CFA Jacint Verdaguer! :-) This looks like a very interesting project and we will study your results. Thank you for participating here!

CFA Jacint Verdaguer is the school of the Men’s Prison in Barcelona. One of its objectives is to provide students the tools that will help them to rejoin society once they have accomplished their sentence. But... is it really this way? Are the syllabuses we offer appropriate? What does “school” mean for students?

Trying to answer these questions, we ended up with the idea that it would be interesting to carry out a research in order to find some clues and answers. The “Second Chance” project was the result of all these thoughts. This was an European project framed within Grundtvig program (Lifelong Learning Program) where six countries participated: Italy, Turkey, Romania, Estonia, Poland and Spain, as the coordinators. All of us work directly or indirectly for education of imprisoned people.

The duration of the project was two years, from September 2013 until August 2015. It was divided in two stages:

• During the first year, we collected data from our students in order to analyze our work as teachers in Penitentiary Centers and make proposals for the improvement of our task. The methodology was based on a qualitative type of study meaning interviews, life stories and discussion groups.
• We implemented some of these proposals during the second year and we wanted the Penitentiary Centers to be a Second Chance.

This experience has been the start of a great project and new strands of work, and a different way to approach adult schools. Thanks to reflection, communication and shared work, we have enhanced and renewed our task. This challenge has meant a “Second Chance” for our personal and professional lives.

Webs of the project:

Oficial web:http://www.secondchancegrundtvig.com

Our project bolg:https://grundtvigcfajacintverdaguer.wordpress.com/

Results of the project:

E-book:http://issuu.com/rosilu80/docs/life_stories_ebook_final/0

Discussion groups:http://issuu.com/secondchancegrundtvig/docs/focus_groups_reports

E-guide:http://issuu.com/secondchancegrundtvig/docs/e-guide

Video:https://youtu.be/iOLO-TgKz78

Thank you EPALE for organising this online discussion that is so inspiring. It will hopefully stay available for participants ánd those that cannot be actively present. I can see many faces that are known to me and our organisation : the European Prison Education Association. But one of the purposes of the online discussion is also bringing new faces together. You have succeeded in that part as well. There is a lot of content that I would certainly have a further look into, once I will be back from the meeting I'm in now. This also explains for the participants that I cannot be as active as I would want to. But it is comforting to see that so many of the people I spoke or mailed earlier are active!! With a EPEA Steering Committee member I'm, as we speak in a meeting of the INGO Conference of the Council of Europe. Today, yesterday and tomorrow we listen to and speak with representatives of the many INGO's of Europe and we were present in meetings and working groups on Education and Culture, but also about Human Rights. As you might understand there is a lot of attention for recent European developments and migration, that brings a merging of different worlds, the necessity of communication and new needs of understanding the experiences of both worlds that meet. There is a lot said about a safe anvironment, both for the migrants as for learners. 

But, I'm being a 'not so attentive participant' of the current presentation on Social Teaching in the AIEJI project. So, as a teacher, I feel I need to focus on different thing than this online discussion now. I'll do my best to join you whenever I can.

Good luck with the discussion today!!! 

A Summary of the Discussion so far:

Theme 1: Basic literacy and numeracy.

• Various participants explained in some detail what constitutes Basic literacy and Numeracy in their country.
• In some of the participating countries, digital skills are considered a basic skill as well – this seems to be the area that offers challenges in terms of IT equipment in prison. The tension between security (computers/internet) and education was discussed.
• An alternative is the use of a Virtual Campus to teach in prison on a closed platform. This can be part of a blended learning approach.
• The issue of certification was raised: mainly whether there ought to be certification issued by an official authority or the prison or some other entity.
• The challenges in teaching basic skills in prison were mentioned, including the fact that most inmates have compounded difficulties, such as dependencies, psychological and general health problems as well as the environment one is teaching in.
• The length of sentence varies considerably– most sentences are shorter than a year. The discussion centred on the importance of providing education in ‘small packages’, attainable in a relative short period of time.
• Short courses should also be accredited for, for example, through the awards of certification.
• Certification, it was pointed out, is important for the inmate. In some countries, this is awarded by an official outside body, in other countries it is awarded by the prison authorities themselves.
• Embedded learning is highly motivational for inmates and pedagogically effective.
• The teaching of literacy and numeracy can be done also through Art, which brings in the human dimension to learning.
• For embedded learning to be possible, it is important that all education providers (teachers/officers/tradespersons etc.) have the opportunity to meet and discuss the inmate’s study plan.
• Embedded learning is highly relevant to the inmate – hence the motivational factor of such an approach to teaching and learning.
• The eight key competencies to lifelong learning should all be present in an educational programme in prison.

B.    Pre-course assessment and motivational issues.

 In some cases assessment focuses on one of the various basic literacy and numeracy skills – such as reading. It should be more holistic.

• Initial assessment is crucial for the implementation of an education programme.
• In some countries inmate assessment is covered by outside agencies, while in other cases it is in-house
• Art too can be a tool that motivates inmates to read and write – particularly if these are integrated.
• The difference between basic skills and key skills was made – key skills are important but not as fundamental as basic skills.
• Basic skills and priority languages were discussed in relation to foreigners, migrants and irregular immigrants
• Assessment of inmates may be a motivational factor for inmates to follow courses on offer in itself  – it brings about an awareness of what is available in prison in terms of education programmes
• In some countries, assessment is mandatory. In others, it is not.
• Data and research are crucial for the implementation of all education programmes in prison.
• Various examples of assessment tools were provided throughout the discussion.
•  

 C.Training of service providers.

• Teachers come from various backgrounds – including those coming straight from the state school system and those directly employed by the prison.
• Teachers are familiarised with the basic rules of the prison as well as the characteristics of a prison.
• Various guides for the training of teachers working in prisons have been produced through European Projects (e.g. PEPPLE, CLAP, EIS-ALP).

D.Evaluation of success.

• Securing employment is one factor of success
• Acquiring skills (a measurable component) is another gauge of success
• A lower recidivism rate
• Inmates in most prisons are assessed using the same assessment as the public education system.
• Other forms of assessment and records of success are in-house: in-house certification based on commitment, effort, attendance etc
• Non-formal learning is difficult to assess – but seems to be the more popular with inmates

Hello everyone!!

The teacher profile

Prison education requires an initial specific training to get in context:

• With inmates profiles and prisons atmosphere and special circumstances.
• Inmates interests, their motivation, needs, etc..
• Adapt to inmates reality, sometimes moving from one place to another. Sometimes they need access permission and it takes time.
• Priority of security and prison rules, to avoid further problems.

For these reasons posts in prisons as teachers are voluntary and they usually have previous experience in adult teaching..

However, new teachers receive a training course on the aspects mentioned above, usually delivered by the lifelong learning school management team, who has experience in these aspects.

I would like to remark that in general the teachers who work in prisons are very respected by the inmates and they enjoy their job.

The European Prison Education Association Malta Branch is currently working on a EU funded project that aims to define the skills and competences that a prison teacher should have.  As you all know living in prison is like being on another planet in spite of all the changes that evolved over the last 50 years.  Teaching in prison requires teachers to have attitudes, skills, competences that go beyond those required to teach in schools and colleges.

The title of the project is  EUROPEAN INDUCTION SUPPORT FOR ADULT LEARNING PROFESSIONALS TO THE CORRECTIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM - EISALP.    The project website may be accessed on www.eisalp.eu  

The competences were set in three groups namely Generic competencies, Specific competences and supportive competences.  The project partners produced a number of modules that can be provided both 'in class' and online that prison teachers and prospective prison teachers may work on in order to raise the level of competencies. You are very welcome to write to us anthony.vella@um.edu.mt or anthonyjohnvella@gmail.com

The European Prison Education Association Malta Branch was an active partner in a EU funded project that aimed to develop embedded learning in prison (both male and female).  The project was concluded in 2010.  The title of the project is Innovative Models to Integrate Working and Learning in Adult Prisons - KEYS.  The results and products of the project may be found on www.keys.fczb.de/.  

Hello everyone!!

Firstly, as the coordinator of adult education at the provincial department of education in Cádiz, Andalusia,Spain, all your contributions are very interesting for me and very useful in my job.

I would like to emphasise how important is to continue with their learning process for male and female inmates when they finish their stay and try to get back into society.

In our province there are four prisons with an adult education school in each one, belonging to the regional integrated public network of lifelong learning school, and three centres for young offenders. When a person first comes into prison and decides to attend  school, they get a test to establish individual skills and knowledge levels. Secondly, based on the initial results from the questionnaire, they enroll in different learning formal and non formal courses, all of them official, certified and valid to the education system.

Due to most common profiles of inmates the most demanded course are those connected with basic skills, literacy and numeracy. Other courses raising inmates interest are Spanish, English and ICT. Though internet access is not generally allowed for inmates there is a pilot experience in the last two years between a centre of young offenders and the regional e-learning regional centre (IEDA http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/educacion/webportal/web/ieda) through which young inmates are being attended online using secured LMS and agreed protocols. This is intended as the first step to extend the experience to the rest of prisons that fulfill the basics mentioned before.

Another important aspect of joint coordination with the adult education regional system  is the designations of specific teacher teams from public high schools who act as a bureau to test inmates preparing to obtain official secondary and post secondary certificates.

Another major issue, in my opinion, is to provide inmates with the necessary tools and advice to manage modern society daily life once they finish their stay. In that sense it is crucial for inmates to be in the right set of pathway courses, according to their profiles, possibilities and interests  to be successful in their new lives.

Due to research of Brosens (2015) there are possibilities to realise educational activities in prisons. Based on a study among prisoners in Belgian prisons it seems that 91% of the prisoners took part in a particular activity organised in prison. Especially the library seems to gain opportunities to involve prisoners in (learning) activities, due to the fact that 85.5% of the prisoners was active in the library (Brosens, 2015). Besides, 29.5% of the prisoners joined education and 10% joined a learning activity referring to socio-cultural learning (Brosens, 2015). These results show that although their current situation prisoners still can be motivated to join learning.

This creates new opportunities for adult education providers to develop learning activities in. In order to ensure that prisoners won't be social excluded in society after their imprisonment we should consider the development of suitable learning activities. If the activities will be tailor made it is possible that prisoners can realise a significant contribution to society referring to an economic or social perspective.

Adult education providers should use their competencies in order to analyse the learning needs of adult prisoners and to develop a tailor-made learning activity, which can be attractive for prisoners. This learning activity should include transfer of the learned knowledge, skills and attitude of the prisoners into society in order to have a surplus value for the prisoner him- or herself and the society.

The challenge will be to develop the most suitable learning activities. Due to the results of the study of Brosens (2015) non-formal learning activities seems to be more attractive. But on the other hand formal learning activities can be helpful to increase the level of education and chances on the labour market. Question which should be answered is how to find a balance in these two different kind of learning activities in order to attract prisoners and to ensure an impact of the learning activity for functioning in daily society and on the labour market.

Reference: Brosens, D. (2015). Participation in prison programmes: Profile of (non-)participants, encouraging and discouraging factors. Brussel: Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

Hello everyone,

It will may be sound a bit out of the place here, but allow me to share my experience here.

I went to do a presentation in Prison on January 14th, in Saint Brieuc, Brittany , France and the inmates wanted to know more about the Greek language. They were intrigued by the shape of the letters, intrested in the pronounciation and could not stop asking me what this or that word translated into Greek. They wanted to know the alphabet. So I started writting the 24 letters of the Greek Alphabet, they also wanted capital letters. One participant came up to the blackboard and showed me how he had written the letters and some words. It was actually quite good.

Some time later, the person who organize the logistics at the Prison concerning the organisation of the presentation and education programmes told me that this participant could not write any french!

This I could not have imagined because , along with the others he has discovered a new language and started at the same level as the others. So he had all his chances to do just as well as the others!

I know teaching a lesser used language is not a priority in the  prison education curriculum, but thought I might share this information with you. There is a programme ( with EU funds) concerning the teaching of Greek ( greek as a vector for linguistic and Cultural Diversity): www.elinikiglossa.eu. The person responsible is Ifigenia GEORGIADOU ( www.hcc.edu.gr). The participants in prison want now to have a full week of learning Greek. I will of course contribute along with the Greek teacher that we have at the MJC (Maison des Jeunes et de la Culture: www.mjcduplateau.fr).

We are also going to organize other language classes not only of less-spoken languages indeed.

We are planning a week of German, a week of Italian, a Week of Spanish and a week of Russian.

But we will start with the Greek language. Should be really nice and motivating. I really look forward to it !

Dear all, here comes a word of encouragement from Norway: the impact of this discussion of ours may be much greater than we think!

One of my colleagues from the Vox team following the developments in Norwegian prison education, has just had a very interesting phone conversation with a person from a municipal police department. They are working in criminal prevention and he was following the discussion here. He called to enthusiastically tell us how important this work is for all of them. So - we are reaching outside the educational sector, folks.

Keep up the good work!

Warm greetings from Oslo!

For those interested in reading more about prison education, take a look at EPALE's summary of prison education content here

A summary of the discussion so far can be read at the very bottom of the page. Thank you all for participating and for your continuous participation today. 

Hi everyone,

I'd like to briefly share with all of you how this issue is dealt with in Andalucía, Spain, from my experience as responsible for the regional lifelong learning deparment at the regional ministry of educations in the period of 2006-2015. As you may know, the education system in Spain is decentralised, though under a national basic frame and law. There are 15 prisons spread over the 8 provinces of Andalucía,  attended by over 100 teachers (regional civil servant teachers) and 5.000 inmates. In all of them there is an adult school, with the same  course offer as the ones in any village or town of the region. Basically, and depending on the inmates starting point:

• Basic literacy and numeracy, including Spanish for inmigrants. Because their social background, most inmmates are doing these studies.
• Access to Secondary and post secondary official Certificate.
• Access to vocational training or university studies  .
• Basic ICT, English.
• Healthy habits, Andalusian heritage
• Others (must be previously authorized)

There are available OER online content for all the course offer that can downloaded by teachers and worked with offline ( www.juntadeandalcia.es/educacion/permanente/materiales ). Online courses are being studied with the national prison authority through “safe” LMS following agreed protocols.

This regional offer in complemented by employment courses and workshops offered by the national prison authority, together with some other socio cultural activities (flamenco, theatre, art….)

Please write your contribution about the evaluation of success under this heading.

Press the GREEN button REACT and write a comment/reaction.

We plan to focus on this issue tomorrow and the day after. But of course one can add comments/reactions today. 

Thank you.

Please write your contribution about the training of service providers under this heading.

Press the GREEN button REACT and write a comment/reaction.

We plan to focus on this issue tomorrow and the day after. But of course one can add comments/reactions today. 

Thank you.

Please write your contribution about pre-course assessment and motivational issues under this heading.

Press the GREEN button REACT and write a comment.

We plan to focus on this issue today. But of course one can add comments/reaction tomorrow and on Thursday. 

Thank you.