NEXT STEPS - Aufbau und Erprobung einer Prozesskette zur Vermittlung von ehemaligen Inhaftierten als Fachkräfte in den Arbeitsmarkt

"<< Background >>NEXT STEPS is a follow-up to the E+ STEPS project (2018-2020), which was nominated as a ""good practice project"" by the NA BIBB (The National Agency Education for Europe at the German Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training) and in which a successful approach to the reintegration of offenders via sport was communicated. It has been shown that key competences of prisoners can be observed in prison sport, the knowledge of which can also be of great value to potential employers. However, prison staff often do not have the pedagogical expertise to objectively assess these skills and thus provide prisoners with a reference for job application procedures.A stable employment relationship has been proven to reduce the recidivism rate. The approach of the North Rhine-Westphalian justice system shows that the placement of prisoners in the labour market is particularly successful if they can acquire vocational qualifications within the prisons. In all participating partner countries, there are considerable barriers to accessing the labour market for ex-prisoners. At the same time, companies are looking for highly motivated workers and non-profit organisations are seeking access to prisons to engage in social activities.<< Objectives >>The project aims to contribute to the successful reintegration of (former) prisoners into the labour market and society. Individual plans for prisoners as well as regular state and other voluntary programmes are taken into account and appropriately supplemented. To this end, the project partners worked closely with regional stakeholders (prisons, companies, vocational training organisations, voluntary support services such as sports clubs) to test a sustainable process chain that creates and simplifies access for and to prisons. The resulting regional cooperation and networks support prisoners on their way into the primary labour market. Prison officers also receive a pedagogical handout to assess the social skills of inmates in various activities, particularly in the field of sport, with school grades. In this way, individual and suitable work and training opportunities that are offered during the prison term can be identified and support can be provided in finding a suitable placement in the labour market. They are also a reference for good performances that inmates can present to potential employers.<< Implementation >>The partnership has realised the following activities according to the application and beyond:-Development of 3 intellectual outputs (IOs): Volunteer database, pedagogical handout for prison staff, description of a process chain-Publication of a project website in the partner languages and in English-Establishment and regular reporting in the project's own channels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn-Publication of 3 multilingual project newsletters, a leaflet and a video presentation about the project-Realisation of 5 transnational partner meetings and visits of local prisons in Heinsberg/DE, Elba/IT, Innsbruck/AT, Lisbon/PT, Venice/IT-Participation in fairs, workshops and educational events to disseminate the project results-Publication of articles in various publications (print + digital)-Production of a podcast and a story with the participation of a representative of the National Agency and a journalist at the Heinsberg prison-Presentation during the ""Inspiration Days"" of the German National Agency-Production of a programme for a television station in Emilia-Romagna-Implementation of multiplier events in all partner countries-Setting up a cross-border group of experts-Elaboration of the follow-up project PERSPEKTIVE<< Results >>IO1: Volunteer database for companies and volunteers to enable them to offer prisoners work or learning opportunities which prison or NGO staff can access. Its functionality is described in a specification sheet and a documentation.IO2: Pedagogical handout including observation sheets tailored to the requirements of prisons for recording and assessing social skills. The project partners have trained prison staff in the correct use and produced video examples for an educational training game and a digital tool for recording grades.IO3: Description and testing of a process chain which, based on the analyzed situation (needs, rules, differences) and best practice examples in the partner countries, represents a structured reintegration process for a targeted approach and placement of former inmates in the labor market.All results are available in EN, DE, PT and IT for free and unrestricted use on the project website for at least 5 years after the project’s end.The collaboration between the various project partners from the fields of volunteering, business, sport and the justice system resulted in a European network of experts which develops further projects based on the needs identified, e.g. the approved E+ project PERSPEKTIVE."