Multiplier event - EDUKOS
„Prison, Reintegration, Education. Trainings to support social and labour market (re)integration of people in or after detention. Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices. Strategic Partnerships for adult education”
(15/KA2AE/13563)
Date: 2016.11.25. - 9.00-15.30
Location: the Office of labour, social affairs and family in Dolný Kubín
The multiplier event was related to the PRE project. The invited professions were the representatives of the prison resort, probation and mediation officers, the social guardians, pedagogues and reprentatives of non-governamental organisations which work with at risk groups. The representatives of the prison resort in spite of their immense interest in the presented topic, refused to take part for economic as well as effectivity reasons. They answered that there is a videoconference device in all the prisons in Slovakia which they use for joint videoconferences. They offered us to prepare for their employees - the social workers and pedagogues - a separate event on the November 28, 2016 in the prison of Ružomberok ( 17 kom away from Dolný Kubín) from where the videoconference would be transmitted to all 17 prisons in Slovakia as well as the the General Directorate of the Body of the Prison and Justice Guards in Bratislava.
In Dolný Kubín the multiplier event took place in the building of the Office of the labour, social affairs and family. 30 participants took part, which according to the attendance list came from the following institutions: 1. probation and mediation service, 2. the Office of labour, social affairs and family, 3. the university in Ružomberok, 4, social academy - secondary education and 5. non-governmental organisations.
At the beginning of the event Eva Vajzerová welcomed the participants and informed them that the objective of the meeting is not only to present the project but also to create a platform for the sharing of experience in working with this target group. Subsequently Michal Čipka presented the project PRE, its objectives, partners and contacts. Martina Špániková spoke about the specific outputs of the project. She said that the work with the target group is similar in all the participanting countries i.e. personal strengthening through various forms and methods and focused especially on coping with regular life situation and the preparation for the labour market.
After the refreshment break the participants were divided into two groups which were moderated by Otília Škarbová and Zuzana Kršková. In these two workshops they got an idea about the specific selected methods of work with the convicts which the lectors used in testings in prisons in Ružomberok.
EDUKOS welcomed the idea of introducing also practical work in groups in the program of the event besides the factual presentations because according to our experience it is especially the specific practical work and its personal experience which is the most enriching and effective for the participants. In the discussion the participants especially appreciated such structure of the program and expressed the desire that such event be organise again and methods which they find interesting in their work with their clients ( e.g. management of anger…) be presented. The project workers informed them that another multiplier event was to be organised in the first half of the year 2017, so there will be an opportunity to present also the interesting transversal competences with which the partners have positive experience in working with this target group. Another interesting suggestion was to organise the presentation of their own methodical procedures ( the ones of the probation and mediation workers) in the context of the next meeting so that they can know if they proceed in their work with the clients in a qualified manner. Both lectors noted that self-reflexion is very important in working with this target group and that there are specific procedures for this ( support groups, supervision, atď). They recommended them to demand such methods of work from their employers and that in case of need they were willing to help them.
In spite of the inicial fears in the organisation of the event, the project team came to the conclusion that the event exceeded our expectation and was successful.
Date: 2016.11.28. - 9.30-12.00
Location: The prison of Ružomberk
A more complicated preparation preceded the videoconference presentation of the PRE project from the prison of Ružomberok to all 17 prisons in Slovakia, this was related to the safety regulations. The videoconference began at 9:30 and the representatives of all prisons took part in it. Each prison was represented by two - max. three employees (social workers and pedagogues).
We adapted the program according to the given conditions, i.e. the communication took place from 9:30 to 12:00. Besides the presentation which were also presented at the event on November 25, 2016 we also extended the program with the presentation of methods which turned out to be effective in our work, i.e. the program PORR and the digital competences.
The employees of the prisons were interested in the presented methods, they especially wanted to get to know in more detail the board game and the method of biliotherapy, financial literacy and the program of digital competences. The social wokers of the prison of Hrnčiarovce nad Parnou and Želiezovce asked for the possibility to implement in their prison the training of digital competences with the conditions that the lectors of EDUKOS teach their pedagogues to use this program. EDUKOS promised the prison of Želiezovce and Nitra Chrenová to give them the manual of the simulation game of financial literacy. Some employees pointed out at the discrepancy between the law and the possiblities. On one hand the law imposes on the prisons to establish the preparation for release departments for persons who are to be released in 3- 6 months but on the other hand it does not plan for any financial and personal resources for the provision of this service, since the present number of staff and their work duties do not enable them to “self-sufficiently” ( with their own resources) work with the convicts within their work time and use these effective programs. The representatives of the General Directorate of the Prison Resort asked about the possibility of creating a joint project focused on the adaptation of the board game from the Hungarian partners into our conditions.
Date: 2016.11.25.
Location: the University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik in Košice, the department of philosophy
The PRE project was also presented at a professional conference. Miroslav Špánik took part at the international scientifice conference with the title “The Meainig and place of resocialisation and reeducation in social work and society” which took place at the university of Pavol Josef Šafárik in Košice. In his presentation with the title “the Possibilities of involvenment of non-governmental organisations in the resocialisation and reeducation process” he focused on the activities of the organisation EDUKOS in penitentiary and post-penitentiary care. He also presented to the academic and professional audience the vision and objectives of the PRE project as well as the already realised outputs.
The participation at the conference brought many new impulses for the future work of EDUKOS on the basis of the meeting of the representatives of academic community - scientific-pedagogical workers who deal with the same target group and students of social work who need to be sensitised the most in relation to this target group and so become prepared for their eventual work with them.