Youth in Action in Detention

Aims & objectives

The TC focused on how best to combat discrimination experienced by young people in detention.
The objectives of the training activity were to empower youth workers in adapting non formal education in the re-education process of young detainees; Using Youth in Action in order to supplement the need of cultivating positive attitudes in the environment of detention; Create proper synergies amongst youthworkers and institutions in order to achieve quality in re-education

Target group & international/intercultural composition of the group & team

The project was carried out by Asociatia de Tineret Onestin, Romania, in partnership with A.R.T. Fusion Association, Romania; Associação
Mais Cidadania, Portugal; Fundacja Inicjatyw Nieformalnej Edukacji, Poland; Gaziantep Eğitim ve Gençlik Derneği, Turkey; Joint Associazione di promozione sociale, Italy. In the group were 31 participants - psychologists, social workers, performing artists, students from the
National School for Correctional Officers in Romania and prison educators who worked
with disadvantaged or delinquent youth.

Training methods used & main activities

Various non-formal education methods were used on the course involving the young detainees in simulations of cultural conflicts, debates and team sports. They were invited to voice
their difficulties in reintegrating and revealed a perceived sense of injustice. A puppet theatre was used to animate these sessions. More formal presentations were also made and the youth workers pooled their experience to produce a guide to good practice on dealing with young people in prison.

Outcomes of the activity

The guide to good practice and the non-formal education tools developed during the course are now regularly used by prison educators in the rehabilitation centres in Romania and have
influenced the approach to young detainees in the other countries represented at the course. Among the young detainees who took part in the course three of them, who have since been released, have jobs or have continued with their studies.
Also, this project/training has been nominated by the EACEA the best Youth in Action project in Romania 2007-2013.

Your tasks and responsibilities within the team

I have been the lead trainer in this activity.

I worked on this training for 7 days as a full time trainer.