Reggio Emilia

Reggio Emilia, Italy, 27th – 31th March 2017

From 27th to 31th of March, 20 educators, psychologists, teachers and social workers from Italy, Greece, Portugal, Spain and Romania, who work closely with the reintegration of inmates, attended the International Training Activity, that took place in Reggio Emilia, Italy, under the auspices of L’ Ovile Cooperativa di Solidarietà Sociale.

During the training activity, representatives of L’ Ovile presented the Italian Penitentiary system, thanks to the contribution of Caterina Pongiluppi (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia). The participants were guided to the infrastructures of L’ Ovile by the President Valerio Maramotti and the Director Gabriele Mariani, who introduced the successful methodology of the Cooperative in the field of integration into the labor market of ex-inmates, refugees and people with mental disabilities. Massimo Caobelli and Elisa Cocchi presented the procedures and the tools of the cooperative as regards the integration into labour market of inmates and disadvantaged people, according to Italian law 381/91 and the specific experience on integration into labour market of persons deprived of liberty run by the L’Ovile in the prison of Reggio Emilia, with a carpentry laboratory and agricoltural activity.

The Greek delegation presented the Penitentiary System in Greece, giving to the attendees the opportunity to compare and discuss about the similarities and differences in each country. A specific contribution presented the Creative Writing Workshop that volunteers are running inside Greek prison, as an opportunity to reflect about their life and to express their feelings connected with reintegration process.

After the presentation of the Educator’s competence profile from each national group and through an interactive workshop, participants documented the needed skills and competences that an Educator should feature in order to achieve the best results in the field of inmate’s integration into society. The activity, supported also by the contribution of Silvia Borsari (Winner Mestieri), allowed to create a first draft of the Output “Recognition Tool” foreseen within the project.

During their visit to the Penitentiary of Reggio Emilia, guided by Massimo Caobelli (L’Ovile) and Maria Pasceri (in charge of prison’s Education Department), participants discussed about social and labour integration process in prison.

During a visit to Gruppo Appartamento “Don Dino Torreggiani” – a residential structure for alternative measures to detention run by L’Ovile – Francesca Cavedoni introduced alternative measures to detention and initiatives that focus on inmate’s  skills development, promotion of their social contribution and improvement of their integration into society. A contribution from Antonia Sandrolini (Ufficio Esecuzione Penale Esterna) gave the oppportunity to participants to know the Italian probation system and to discuss about different situations in different countries. Laura Cerrocchi (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia) analysed the Educational setting of L’Ovile’s Gruppo Appartamento.

The agenda included also a visit to the Museum of Psychiatry of Reggio Emilia, offering hints to a discussion concerning mental health disease among inmates and the competence that educators need in order to manage these particular situations.

Bistrita

Bistrita, Romania, 18th – 23th June 2017

From 18th to 23rd of June, 20 educators, psychologists, teachers and social workers from Italy, Greece, Portugal, Spain and Romania, who work closely with the reintegration of inmates, attended and continued the 2nd International Training Activity, that took place in Bistrita, Romania.

The Erasmus+ Key Action 2 Project: “EDUCATE: Educators for inclusive and effective reintegration for inmates”, addresses the challenge for a more inclusive and effective reintegration of inmates. As a Strategic Partnerships supporting exchange of good practices, the project has the primary goal to allow partner organizations to share experiences, approaches and work methodologies in the field of adult inmates education.

During the training activity, representatives of “Sapana” presented the Portuguese Penitentiary system while the Romanian delegation presented in details how the Penitentiary of Bistrita works in every field (accommodation, food, education, free time etc). After the presentation, followed a guided tour into the prison where the participants met the inmates and spoke with them into their cells, while the second presented their handmade creations.

The second day the participants discussed on what a NGO can offer to the ex-inmates. ONISIM NGO and its president Mr Florin Caspriac explained how they are working in the field of ex-inmates reintegration in the society. The participants met the successful reintegration story of an ex-inmate Denis  and visited the apartments where ex-inmates are hosted. During the third day Ms Camelia Toma presented the results of her work on theatre with the inmates of Bistrita penitentiary, while the associate professor Dr Sorina Poledna presented her research on the social reintegration after release and the outcome of the decrease of recidivism rate. The day closed full of emotions with the performance that inmates prepared, under the direction of Ms Toma. The fourth day the participants visited the INOCENTI Foundation where the director Mr Marin Mic,  presented their work, mostly with abandoned babies and babies with mental or physical disabilities. The last day, using the SWOT analysis the participants evaluated the way that Bistrita penitentiary uses for the inmates reintegration.

Almeria

Almeria, Spain, 16 – 20 Ocrtober 2017

From 16 to 20 October 2017, 20 educators, psychologists, teachers and social workers from Italy, Greece, Portugal, Spain and Romania, who work closely with the reintegration of inmates, attended the 3nd International Training Activity, that took place in Almeria, Spain.

During the first day of the training activity, Mr Jorge Ollero Peran from Federacion Elance, presented the model of restorative justice in Spain , while the executive director of Noesso NGO Mr Miguel Martin presented the methodology that Noesso follows for the treatment addressed to drug addicted persons. Ms Ester Munoz from Fundacion Don Bosco closed the morning session, presenting the competences development model that they use. At the afternoon followed a guided tour to the Oblatas Reintegration Flat where Noesso is running one of it s reintegration activities with inmates.

The second day, the participants were introduced to the Re-incorpora program, an innovative program that Noesso and many other NGOs are running in collaboration with “La Caixa” Bank. Re –Incorpora is a program where La Caixa Bank, in the frame of it s entrepreneur social responsibility, funds the internship of inmates and other vulnerable groups targeting to help them make their first crucial step for their reintegration into the society. Ms Patricia Maldonado from Fundacion “La Caixa”, Ms Arancha Lasso de La Vega, Incorpora Program regional coordinator and Ms Gemma Galan from the technical office of Re-incorpora program, experts of this initiative, explained to  the participants the methodology of the program.

The third day took place the visit in Almeria penitentiary, where after the welcome of the Director of the prison Mr Miguel Angel de la Cruz, Ms Mercedes Hernandez Jurist of the Prison and advisor of reintegration programs presented the Spanish Penitentiary System and Ms Maria Victoria Lucio Alonso presented the Educational program which the prison implements. After the presentations, the participants had the opportunity to have a very detailed tour into the prison where the responsible staff explained to them the way that the prison works in every sector presenting alongside some innovative methods. The day ended with the music-dance performance that inmates prepared. During the fourth day the participants visited the Noesso reintegration Flat (Vivienda de Apoyo a la Reinsercion), the Noesso Centre of Minors “Paco Fernandez” and Noesso Therapeutic centre for drug addicted people “La Quinta” in Laujarde Andarax.

These visits were highly beneficial to all the participants since they had the opportunity to get know the pioneering job Noesso is doing by helping and supporting vulnerable groups of the society. The last day started with the visit to VICASOL SCA Company a great example of a company that supports the reintegration programs in Almeria.The participants closed the working part of the day in Noesso Day’s Facilities Center, with a workshop where they reflected on the Barriers, the Challenges, the Innovative Ideas, the Best Practices and the Plus Points of this very interesting training activity.