NewsLetters
01
NewsLetter #1
31 DEC. 2022
Introduction / Short presentation of ACTinPRISON
The research project Interaction matters: Research on development of alternative curricular experiences for young prisoners and prospective teachers (ACTinPRISON), funded by H.F.R.I.(Hellenic Foundation for Research & Innovation), started on May, 26 and it will last 30 months.
The ACTinPRISON project pursues to respond to issues of social inclusion and challenges concerning young offenders’ rehabilitation. More specifically, ACTinPRISON’s innovative design employs dialogic methodologies to develop alternative forms of education for young inmates, recognizing the need for educators to better understand the lives of marginalized youth. Prospective teachers are approached as collaborators with incarcerated youths in creating common spaces, social and educational, that inspire multifaceted senses of belonging and that allow for collaboration in designing relevant and meaningful educational programs.
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02
NewsLetter #2
24 MAY 2023
ACTinPRISON Training & Workshops
The newsletter provides an overview of the training program for prospective teachers focusing on prison education, with a particular emphasis on their evolving perspectives before and after the training. The training program, organized by ACTinPRISON, encompassed a series of engaging workshops that delved into various aspects of prison education and rehabilitation.
The training program’s impact was evident in the reflections of prospective teachers, who reported a shift in their perspectives towards a more humane understanding of prisoners, the concept of prison, and the implications of delinquency. Many expressed strong motivation to translate their newfound knowledge into practical action and contribute to positive social change within and outside of prisons.
The comprehensive training program exemplifies ACTinPRISON’s commitment to equipping prospective teachers with the knowledge and skills to make a meaningful impact on the lives of incarcerated individuals, emphasizing the potential for rehabilitation and reintegration through education.
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03
NewsLetter #3
24 NOV. 2023
Common space with prospective teachers and prisoners:
second year of implementation
From the beginning of the project in October 2022 until the end of the Academic Year in July 2023, more than 30 meetings with the young inmates in Kassaveteia prison took place. The first phase of the intervention, which was conducted through 11 sessions, included the process of needs assessment and analysis combined with several activities and exercises designed to promote familiarity and team building in order to encourage a safe space of dialogue and communication amongst the researchers and the group of young inmates. During the following period we used the information gathered from the first stage and began to introduce activities planned according to the inmates’ needs and interests while strengthening the team and preparing the group for the forthcoming meetings with the students/prospective teachers. At the same time the group of students/prospective teachers attended a series of workshops in order to complete the necessary training before joining the group and start working together with the young inmates inside the prison. Both groups’ preparation aimed to create the conditions of equal participation
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03
NewsLetter #4
24 MAY 2024
Common space with prospective teachers and prisoners
During the academic year 2023-2024 curricular activities were designed, developed and implemented within 20 workshops of common space with prisoners and prospective teachers. The workshops included a variety of topics that were defined according to the inmate’s needs and desires, as they were discussed at the beginning of the project and revisited as the workshops progressed. The workshops were designed using an interdisciplinary approach and included topics such as geometry and the arts; language and drama; mathematics, drama and languages. Dialogue is a key element of this approach and it is encouraged both with verbal and non-verbal means. Language is practiced experientially, and enriched through emerging vocabulary and prompts to communicate. Introduction and discussion on geometry, mathematics and language topics would be followed by dialogue on gender roles and issues of social justice. During the final sessions we attempted to devise a play inspired by the things everyone learnt and others they wanted to explore. The performance, a show about solidarity, space traveling, adventure, witches and true friendship, was rehearsed for one month and performed for an audience of fellow inmates, administration and teaching staff with enthusiasm, confidence and a lot of smiles.
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