What are the objectives planned to achieve?
VET innovation responding to EU labour market needs: The primary outcome of PRISGRAD is to supply evidence of new thinking in how Europe’s prison officers are recruited, and how innovative training programmes might respond to current and future human rights and labour market needs. The project maps the potential for innovation in vocational training by introducing university graduates to the prison service and providing opportunities in leadership and development through prison staff mentoring. Additionally, we aim to understand the current labour market needs and continue fostering multi-disciplinary relationships to adapt vocational training of prison officers and tackle the transnational prison staff turnover and recruitment crisis.
VET work based learning: The project is designed to show that work-based mentors can be an effective response to the unique challenges of working in a secure environment, and to network professionals interested in this approach.
VET key competency development: PRISGRAD’s key competency checklist will allow individuals and institutions to check what skills they need to implement a graduate mentoring programme.
What are the main priorities according to the PRISGRADS objectives?
- VET: Adapting vocational education and training to labour market needs
- VET: Increasing the flexibility of opportunities in vocational education and training
The target groups from this project are selected for their position to both implement and disseminate the activities and objectives of PRISGRAD: In the first instance we will target at least 40 prison, trade union and training leadership professionals from 8+ European member states and any additional international countries. Target audience will be professionals from: Prison leadership, or heads of station in prison whose existing role includes formal or informal further training of staff, Prison staff trainers (also those who work externally to the prison) and/or recruitment and retention staff (i.e. Human Resources), Prison apprenticeship program leaders, or staff either working internally or externally to the prison (such as academics who teach on graduate or apprenticeship programmes, or NGOs which provide external training services), Staff from administrations, ministries or justice direcorates.
Activities planned: The project will map graduate access to training and mentoring schemes in prison settings in six EU countries & implement workshops on outlining existing & promising practice in engaging university graduates in the prison service & approaches to their mentoring. A transnational workshop will take place consisting of skills training for graduate recruitment and mentoring and job-shadowing. Finally, an online checklist for skills and competencies relevant to graduate mentoring will be established.
We aim for this small partnership to springboard a larger project to build a network fostering good practice, and potentially a curriculum for graduate prison officer recruitment and mentoring. To do this we need to find out if there is appetite within prison administrations for mentoring training for staff, or for hiring graduates into key roles.
Project partners: Richtungswechsel – Verein zur Förderung der Resozialisierung von Straftäter:innen – Austria (Project coordinator), Interchange Non-Profit gUG – Germany and Centrul pentru Promovarea Invatarii Permanente – Romania
Join the PRISGRADS LinkedIn Group!
Working in European prisons and interested in staff recruitment and development? What innovative strategies is your prison using to recruit, train, and motivate uniformed staff? How are you adapting to new challenges within your local labor market realities?
PRISGRADS, an Erasmus+ Vocational Education Small Scale Partnership, invites you to join our private LinkedIn group! This space is dedicated to sharing and exchanging ideas on recruitment, training, and professional development of prison staff. Let’s collaborate to promote staff wellbeing, encourage retention, and advance our rehabilitative mission.
What to Expect:
– Insights and discussions on innovative recruitment strategies
– Shared experiences and interviews on effective training programs
– Ideas for professional development to enhance staff motivation
– Networking opportunities with prison professionals across Europe
Find out more: https://lnkd.in/dEtkqkbn
