In 2021 Europe had over half a million individuals behind bars, and the challenges of rehabilitation and resocialization have never been more critical
The SOCVOC project, short for “SOCial skills enhancement during VOCational training in prison,” emerged as a beacon of hope within the complex landscape of penal systems. This initiative recognized the need to equip incarcerated individuals with essential skills for a successful reintegration into society. At the heart of the project lies the ambition to transform prisoners into responsible, crime-free citizens, even after the end of their sentences.
Understanding the landscape
The living conditions in European prisons are subject to a web of regulations and guidelines, ranging from constitutional provisions to national criminal and penitentiary laws and international principles. While these laws outline the basic standards for confinement, an essential aspect of analyzing prison conditions is evaluating whether individualized sentencing plans are offered and, if so, whether they are effectively designed and implemented. The goal is to ensure that these plans lead to true rehabilitation and prepare inmates for a life free from crime upon release.
A multifaceted approach towards social rehabilitation
Prisoners must be given a chance to reestablish themselves in society upon release. Resocialization activities within the correctional system should encompass work, education, and activities that prepare inmates for life beyond the prison walls. The SOCVOC project recognized this and decided to prioritize the development of social skills among inmates while they are engaged in vocational training. However, achieving this transformation required not only the empowerment of the inmates but also the training of educators working in prison settings to navigate this unique environment effectively.
Project essence
That is why the consortium of five active partners have been established to come up with a solution how to create tailor-made educational materials which can be used in any prison setting to teach inmates social skills through vocational education.
The crux of the SOCVOC project is the creation of an easily accessible guide and open educational resources that offer best practices and teaching methodologies for enhancing social skills among low-skilled inmates. These resources are also aimed at educating teachers on how to effectively utilize these tools within the prison environment. By doing so, the project aims to promote the use of an online educational platform https://socvoc.eu/ equipped with tailored exercises and instruments that cater to the target group.
The consortium
The project was formed within KA2 Erasmus+ programme Cooperation Partnerships. The coordinator of the project is the Polish partner. Timeline of the project was set to last 24 months from 1 November 2022 through 31 October 2024. The partner group consists of five organizations from five different countries: Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Republic of North Macedonia, and Estonia.
Busola is an organization from Poland. They are the applicant organization within the Erasmus+ project. It is an institution that focuses on people working for the sake of adult prisoners. These prisoners are students of prison schools. The main reason why the association was established is the will to run educational, cultural, sporting and training activities for the sake of the prison school students and their educators.
The Asturia vzw is a Belgian NGO for training and coaching which based in Minderhout’s inner city. The centre was founded in 2014 as a leading independent, and not-for-profit professional body dedicated to promoting best practice and raising the awareness and standards of project management and coaching in adult education.
ClickF1 is from the Netherlands and is a partner organization in the project. ClickF1 invests using art, culture and (digital) media, directly or indirectly in the future of children, adolescents and adults. With creative and proven effective projects and programs they inspire children and youth to further develop and strengthen themselves.
University St. Kliment Ohridski Bitola is from the Republic of North Macedonia and a partner organization in the project. The partners are part of the Faculty of Security. The faculty has established a good cooperation network with many institutions and organization in the public and private sector and has provided certain trainings for specific target groups (employees in the Security Agencies, private security officials, police officers).
Tallinn Construction School is from Estonia and a partner organization in the project. Tallinn Construction School provides education service on the territory of prison in Tallinn arranging vocational educational processes for adult inmates (ca 40-50 students). Tallinn Construction School teaches specialities: woodwork, construction, landscaping, welder. Tallinn Construction School has taken a direction towards becoming the role model and leading competence center in developing vocational education in prisons.
Utilizing project outcomes
In a groundbreaking approach, the project outcomes can be used by prison educators during their own educational activities in the prisons of the project partners. The exercises and tools available on the platform, as well as within the guide, present inmates with the opportunity to develop both professional and social skills. These social skills are particularly crucial in the context of their future job searches after serving their sentences.
Innovative accessibility
The true innovation of the SOCVOC project lies in the easy availability of the specially developed materials as open educational resources for the target group and their educators. By making these resources readily accessible, the project opens doors to a more inclusive, rehabilitative, and socially responsible prison system.
Conclusion
The SOCVOC project signifies an important step towards transforming the lives of imprisoned individuals across Europe. It recognizes that the prison system, while punitive in nature, must also have a rehabilitative and resocializing dimension. By prioritizing the development of social skills, vocational training, and the education of both inmates and educators, the project sets a precedent for a more humane and effective approach to criminal justice. In a world where rehabilitation is paramount, SOCVOC paves the way for a brighter future for those who are striving to reintegrate into society after paying their debt to it.
Hubert Skrzynski
