Urban games as a tool to strengthen literacy skills among prisoners

<< Background >>The main needs that we met through our project activities actually resulted from two sources. Firstly, the institutions involved are active in the field of education of adults deprived of their liberty, so participation in the project allowed for the implementation of statutory activities. Secondly, and more importantly, all project activities were aimed at prisoners who have very limited opportunities to participate in non-formal educational activities. The decision to apply for this project was dictated by a deep understanding and recognition of the above-mentioned needs. Participation in the project was therefore fully consistent with our long-term goals and organizational mission. We believe that the implementation of this project will enable us to expand our influence and strengthen our position as an institution organizing educational activities for adults deprived of their liberty. Finally, this project was an excellent opportunity for us to develop, innovate and implement new solutions that are not present on a daily basis in our institutions. It is not without significance that the project offered the opportunity to build and strengthen partnerships with other organizations operating in the common field of education.<< Objectives >>Our most important goal during our work was to educate beneficiaries - prisoners. Through a series of workshops, we believe that we have achieved the goal of increasing literacy skills and competences among the project participants/beneficiaries. In addition to educating inmates in literacy skills, we also aimed to provide them with skills that may be useful in everyday life after being released (namely, soft skills). Our intention was to equip participants with the tools necessary to cope better in society and increase their chances for successful reintegration.Another important goal was to build participants' self-esteem and responsibility. We believe that by engaging them in constructive educational activities, we have contributed to the growth of their self-esteem and motivation to change. Our workshops were designed so that participants could experience success and positive reinforcement, which is crucial in the rehabilitation process.It is also important that at the final stage of the project, the workshops were a means to create tangible effects in the form of city games. In total, we prepared 9 games in partnership - according to the plan, each partner played three games.<< Implementation >>As part of our project, we carried out a number of activities that were practical and aimed at achieving our ultimate goal, which was to create several city games.The specific set of activities in question included a series of workshops on the following topics:Creative writing: these workshops were aimed at developing writing skills, expressing thoughts and ideas in writing, which is key to strengthening literary competences.Calligraphy: this class focused on the art of beautiful writing, which not only improves writing skills but also promotes concentration and precision.Rhyming: through these workshops, participants had the opportunity to develop linguistic creativity and rhyming skills, which contributes to the improvement of verbal and written skills.Local history: these classes were aimed at expanding participants' knowledge of local history, which was important in the context of creating city games.Creating city games: these workshops focused on practical skills in creating city games, combining the knowledge and skills acquired in previous classes.Drawing/illustration/sketching: these classes allowed for the development of artistic skills<< Results >>The project produced a number of concrete results and achievements that reflect the development of both hard and soft skills of the participants.The main result was the creation of several city games that are available to a wider audience and represent a practical application of the acquired competences.Development of hard skills through participation in workshops - beneficiaries improved their skills in creative writing, calligraphy and rhyming. They improved their artistic skills (drawing and digital processing workshops). They expanded their knowledge of local history, which enriched their cultural horizons.Project participants also developed soft skills - teamwork, problem solving, creativity, communication. These skills are invaluable in the context of personal development and social reintegration. Participation in the project significantly increased the participants' self-esteem, giving them a sense of achievement and the possibility of creative expression. This contributed to building their positive identity and motivation for further development. The project also had a positive impact on changing the social perception of prisoners, demonstrating their ability to participate constructively and create interesting products