Description
The project is necessary as many of the children and young adults in prisons lack basic skills and knowledge necessary for their inclusion. The objectives of the project are to improve skills and develop talents of the children and youngsters by alternative education classes, reduce crime among young people outside the penitentiaries by involving them in working with youngsters within the penitentiaries and to involve the local community in the social inclusion process. Remedial and alternative education offered to young people in penitentiaries as well as cooperation with young people outside the penitentiaries will improve their integration chances. Direct beneficiaries are 300 children and young adults from the penitentiaries in Romania and 100 young volunteers from local communities. The target group is represented by children and young adults from penitentiaries, young people from high-schools and faculties and local communities. The results of the project are improvement of the educational performances of the young adults in penitentiaries, improved skills and active involvement of local community.
Summary of project results
The project aimed at improving skills and developing talents of the children and youngsters in penitentiaries by alternative education classes, and at reducing crime among young people outside the penitentiaries by involving them in working with youngsters within the penitentiaries. The project was launched in the 6 sites where the penitentiaries for minors and young people are located: Buzias, Targu Mures, Craiova, Bacau, Targu Ocna, Tichilesti. Representatives of several local stakeholders were present at the events: local education institutions, cultural institutions, different decentralized local authorities (e.g. the regional branch of national anti-drug agency), mass-media, local NGOs. At the penitentiary in Targu Ocna, in partnership with the regional branch of the National Anti-Drug Agency, an activity and a short documentary on the risks of alcohol abuse were implemented for 70 young people form inside and outside the penitentiary. A „Diversity” football cup, aimed at fighting discrimination through football, was organised between minors in the penitentiary and young people from 4 high schools. A photo exhibition, „Mimetism”, was organised at the Municipal Library in Onesti. The photos were made by six young people from the penitentiary, by using single use cameras. The unexpected result was that, unintentionally, they made almost the same photos, underlying the fact that people use mimetism to survive any context. The aim of this activity was to maintain and to develop cooperation with the partners in the local community and to raise awareness of the public on social inclusion of the young people in the penitentiary. A theatre class delivered by a professional actor was also organised, and young people participated every week to a quilling workshop. In the penitentiary of Craiova one of the trainers had music classes with young people from the penitentiary and prepared a short representation. Young people from Penitentiary in Bacau participated every week to occupational therapy sessions. The minors from the penitentiary in Buzias learned basic notions of using the computer and 11 students of the high school in Buzias offered educational support to young people in the penitentiary. Some challenges were registered during the implementation of the project: penitentiary for minors and young people in Targu Mures was dissolved and the administrative team in the penitentiary in Tichilesti changed 4 times during project implementation.
Summary of bilateral results