European Initiatives for Lifelong Learning

Transcription

1 Prison Education in the context of European Initiatives for Lifelong Learning Potential and expectations of the ExOCoP Network Launch meeting of the ESF Learning Network Ex-Offender Community of Practice (ExOCoP) Bremen (DE), 28 May 2009 Alan Smith Grundtvig Coordinator Deputy Head of Unit EAC B4 Adult Education; Grundtvig

2 Overview European Commission engagement with prison education the Lifelong Learning dimension Lifelong Learning and Adult Education : Policy initiatives The «Lifelong Learning» Programme: support for education and training related to (ex-)offenders Potential of the ExOCoP Network from the perspective of DG Education and Culture

3 Lifelong Learning the EU role European Union mandate: improvement of quality through European cooperation Education : a key component of «Lisbon» strategy for more competitive yet socially cohesive Europe Education remains the responsibility of Member States EU contribution therefore via policy coordination, exchange of experience through transnational projects and mobility

4 Policy initiatives Lifelong Learning in general Adult learning Vocational training Through policy papers, peer-learning, studies, conferences etc.

5 Policy initiatives on adult learning Memorandum on Lifelong Learning (2000) Commission Communication 2006 («It s never too late to learn») Commission Action Plan 2007 («It s always a good time to learn») Council conclusions on adult learning 2008

6 Policy initiatives on lifelong learning in general and on vocational training Key competences European Qualifications Framework Recognition of prior learning Credit accumulation and transfer in VET Quality assurance in VET

7 The need for action Rapid economic development in other regions of the world 80 million low-skilled workers Nearly 7 million early school leavers Demographic trends ageing population Poverty and social exclusion High percentage of people with low literacy skills

8 Efficient adult learning sector Policy: meet the needs of economy and society Governance: quality, efficiency and accountability Delivery: flexible access, recognition and validation, learning closer to the learner, financial support

9 Adult Learning Action Plan Focus on those who are disadvantaged due to: Low literacy skills Inadequate work skills Insufficient skills for successful integration into society

10 The EU concept of adult learning Lifelong + Lifewide Learning in all contexts formal education non-formal learning informal learning Adult in the broadest sense: learning in adult life, other than in formal school or higher education second chance education for those without qualifications Improvement of learning pathways for adults wishing to learn in order to: increase their capacity for active citizenship / their intercultural awareness increase their employability by upgrading their general (Grundtvig) or vocational (Leonardo) skills regain access to formal education fulfil personal aspirations

11 Prison education / adult education Prison education should not be regarded as a separate field but rather as an intrinsic and important part of a country s adult education and training system as a whole (whichever ministry is responsible need for coordination) Equal educational rights for offenders Offenders and ex-offenders on the road to re-integration have the same rights as other sections of society to benefit from learning opportunities

12 LLP Programme structure Comenius School education Erasmus Higher education & advanced training Leonardo da Vinci Vocational education and training Transversal Programme Grundtvig Adult education 4 key activities Political development; Language learning; ICT; Dissemination of best practice Jean Monnet Programme 3 key activities Jean Monnet Action; European Institutions; European associations

13 Grundtvig Actions Learning Partnerships Individual mobility Multilateral projects for developing and transferring innovation Networks Accompanying measures >>Thematic priorities each year for the multilateral projects and networks (emphasis on disadvantaged and marginalised groups)

14 New Grundtvig Actions from 2009 «Visits & Exchanges» for adult education staff Teaching, providing training and expertise, job-shadowing, attending conferences and seminars ) Any duration from 1 day to 3 months «Assistantships» for adult education staff For new or experienced staff 3 months 1 year «Grundtvig Workshops» for adult learners Learners (can include : ex-offenders) from at least 3 countries 5-10 days Any theme Senior Volunteering Projects New category of Learning Partnerships (more mobility, higher funding) (and don t forget: Grants to attend training courses, Preparatory Visits, Contact seminars: Prison Education, Portugal, November 2008)

15 Who can participate in Grundtvig? All types of organisations which play a rôle, directly or indirectly, in promoting adult learning Learning providers (public, private), such as adult education institutions, higher education institutions (for Grundtvigrelevant activities) etc. Local and regional authorities NGOs at local, regional or national level Cultural organisations (museums, libraries etc.) Prisons, hospitals, homes for senior citizens etc. Everyone working in or with such organisations, e.g.: Teaching staff Directors, managers, administrative staff Guidance and counselling staff Inspectorate People working as intermediaries with ethnic minorities Adult learners (though not directly supported under all parts of Grundtvig)

16 Grundtvig target groups Main priorities Socio-economically disadvantaged people in rural or deprived urban areas hard-to-reach learner groups (including people in prison and ex-offenders) Disabled Older citizens / intergenerational learning People lacking basic education Ethnic minorities

17 Grundtvig 1 projects and courses Another way Alternative punishments for juvenile delinquents (SK + SE, PL, ES, CZ, LT) Model for supporting correctional training Education for women inmates (BG + DE, ES, IT, NL, MT, PT) You also have a chance bringing ex-prisoners back into society (PL +ES, SK, LT, DE, NO) Learning for a life in freedom Transforming traditional prison education into flexible, individualised study + personal skills (DK + B, ES, LT, SE, EE, NO) Developing training programmes for qualified school teachers to equip them for teaching in prisons (EPEA + DK, NO, CZ, PT, IT, NL, MT) Theatre in prisons as a means of re-socialisation (IT + FR, SE, DE, UK, ES) Theatre in prisons and socio-relational competence (IT + B, FR, ES)

18 EURO-DESIP comparative study on good practice in HE delivery in prisons via distance learning (ES + DE, FR, GR, RO, LV) La démarche de VAE pour les personnes placées sous main de justice Validation of experience and competence in the perspective of reintegration (FR + B, MT, PL, PT) BREAKOUT - An Interactive Learning Environment for Offending Prevention and Rehabilitation (UK + GR, DE, ES, EE) PIPELINE - Partnerships in Prison Education: Learning in Networked Environments (NO + DE, GR, SI, SE, UK, RO, CZ, DK) ALICE Adult Learning and Inclusive Creativity Methods of encouraging the potential of people by using toys and play (DE + IT, BG, SE) (adolescent delinquents one of the target groups)

19 Law through experience interactive and participatory socio-legal training for prison educators (SK +) The will to dream promoting drama and video in prison education (UK +AT,BG,EE,IR,LV,MT,NL,NO) 2007: Grundtvig under the new Lifelong Learning Programme Virtual European Prison School (EPEA + NO+BG, CZ,FR, IR, GR, SE,UK) European re-settlement training and education for prisoners (UK+IR,PT,RO) Eliminating language barriers in European prisons through open and distance learning technology (TR+BE,DE,GR,NL,PL,UK) Educational tool to integrate inmates (BG+IT,SE,SF,PT,RO,UK) Innovative strategies to prevent re-offending (FR+CZ,DE,ES,IT,RO)

20 Grundtvig 2 - Learning partnerships in prison education Flexibility in Prison Teaching (NO + IR, BG) Open Doors (Basic skills +internet for exoffenders) (IR + FI, BG) I am part of the world outside (BG +GR, ES, IT) MABEL (Multidisciplinary Adult Basic Education) (UK + IRl, NO, BG, PL, R)) Engaging Prisoners in LLL Activities (UK + IT, PT, CZ, MT) Hidden Arts (NO + BE, IR, AT) Adapted Adult Ed. & Follow-up after Release (NO + BE, IR, AT)

21 Multi-target group project for inclusion (LLL for offenders) (R + UK, PT, FR, ES) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder among offenders (NO+ DE, EE) Social inclusion of ex-offenders via education & training (LT + BG, FR, GR) From offender to adult learner (FOTAL) (LLL for people who have committed minor offences) (some learner mobility) (DK + NL, IT, FR, PT) Experientia Docet (decrease risk of committing new crimes) (EE + LV, DE, AT)

22 EP-PH: On-going education for prisoners, a humanitarian project (ES + BG, TR) Improved Service Delivery in Prison Education (BG + CZ, GR, NO) Literacy and life skills in prison (DE/UIL+GR, RO, DE) RE-SO facilitating social reintegration through local partnership (IT+ ES, FR, PT, UK) Disseminating European experience on development of entrepreneurship skills of ex-prisoners (LT + CZ, PL, TR) Visiting in prison (UK + DK, ES, IT)

23 2007 record year (due to contact seminar 2006?) Beyond Open Doors post-release strategy (BE+ DK, GR, RO) PANEL Positive aspects of non-formal education and learning in prison (BE+ DK, RO, NO) SONART Creative writing and biography (DE+ CY, GR, IT, NO) Making space for change (ES+ AT, DE, UK) Inside out use of theatre in prisons (IT+ DE, FR) Theatre education (IT+ DE, ES, FR) By learners, for learners Literacy (UK+ BE, HU, PT) Bernie Building educational resources and networks in Europe (active citizenship) (UK+ BG, GR, IT, NO) Audiovisual education in prisons (NO+ DE, ES, FR, IT)

24 Leonardo da Vinci projects Catering and associated management skills (IR + FR, SE) Analysis of skills gaps among inmates / Basic skills (UK + BE, NL) Methodology for assessing inmates training needs (AT +DE, IT, PT, UK) Restricted internet access for vocational training in prisons (UK + DE, ES) Web-based tools to boost employment potential and entrepreneurship (ES + FR, IR, IT) Vocational re-integration for women inmates (ES + AT, FR, IT, PL) Model programme for occupational and social reintegration (SI + DE, UK, EE, NL)

25 Grundtvig messages emerging on prison education (I) Traditional prison systems emphasising reprisal more than rehabilitation, are out-of-phase with democratic ideals Developing a sense of responsibility and solidarity should be emphasised rather than blind obedience People should be sent to prison as a punishment, not for punishment! Prison inmates including those with special learning needs have a right to education just like any other citizen It is a public responsibility to provide appropriate services, including notably after care, and to ensure that this is enshrined in legislation Education provided in prisons should be as similar to education outside as possible, and provide as many transfer routes as possible

26 Grundtvig messages emerging on prison education (II) Research results are beginning to prove the economic attraction of improving prison education (lower re-offending rates) Prisoners with the least promising criminal diagnosis are likely to benefit most from prison education There is a vital need for prison officers to be adequately trained in order to equip them properly for their complex job Valuing learning is a particularly important area in the context of prison education: many inmates have competences of which they are not made aware Prison education as an instrument for social re-insertion can only be achieved through close collaboration between the education service and other bodies, especially in the postrelease phase

27 Grundtvig messages emerging on prison education (III) Addressing individual learners needs is the key to success. This means individual strategies and tutoring Courses need to be very flexible Short-term courses need to be on offer to cater for the needs of inmates who have received short sentences New inmates should be able to enter courses on a flexible basis, even after they have started Far more flexible teaching is therefore required than in mainstream educational establishments, which has implications for teaching methods

28 Grundtvig messages emerging on prison education (IV) Teacher employment contracts must also reflect the need for flexibility: permanent core staff to cover most of the inmates learning needs possibility to hire additional teachers with a wide range of other specialisations in order to complement this basic coverage Prison education as an instrument for social re-insertion can only be achieved through close collaboration between the education service and other bodies, especially in the post-release phase

29 Grundtvig some potential topics on prison education Producing new materials and methodologies for any aspect of prison education Organising training courses for prison education staff from several countries, Models for training prison educators Analyses of the impact of education on re-offending / sustainable reintegration ICT and prison education The intercultural challenge of prison education, and the particular situation of prisons with a high incidence of inmates from ethnic minority groups Strategies for actively involving prison staff

30 Artistic and creativity education Methods of tackling the particular problems of education for young drugs offenders Prison education for women Management and funding of prison education Evaluation and quality assurance issues in prison education Maximising the effectiveness of post-release strategies Models for improving collaboration between prisons and the local community in the area of education

31 The ExOCoP Network potential for DG Education & Culture Bringing together the key «players» at European, national and local level on a sustainable basis > higher quality through European cooperation Channel for sharing experience from Grundtvig and Leonardo with experience in other contexts Promoting dissemination of our programmes results / innovation transfer Concrete outputs for quality improvement: Models for training prison educators Analyses of the impact of education on re-offending / sustainable reintegration Training courses for prison education staff A source of expertise for the Commission on prison education & training issues European events bringing together the stakeholders: European Conference on Prison Education 2010

32 Further information on Grundtvig _en.html National Agencies (see links on above website)