The EPEA chair had the opportunity and great pleasure to visit the open regime prison in Givenich, Luxemburg. Carlo Feipel, head of the prison schools in Schrassig and Givenich, explained in detail how the work in this small prison with no more than 100 places.

As inmates are there in the phase before release or are sent directly to the halfway house section where school is no more part of the daily life structure, the prison schools is focussing on short-term courses. Each course is held for two hours per week.

Besides the common matters as different languages and maths there are also offered daily life orientated courses on how to deal with the electronic counters of the public administration or on ebanking as well as a first-aid course.

Later that day I could visit the different workshops of the prison. As it is located in the countryside, agricultural activities make up a large part of the work activities on offer.

From a design’s point of view the workshops of the NGO défi-job are more than interesting. In these workshops state supported full-time jobs with a minimum wage are offered for those in the halfway house section. In those premises the jailbird products are crafted. Particularly amazing was the wooden smartphone loudspeaker: it looks great and it works!

Finally, we had a long talk with the head of the internal Social Service. It is exemplarily that they work together closely with the prison school and educational measures are part of the personal integration plan of each detainee who wishes such a plan.

Website of défi-job with the jailbird products and their Facebook page