InnOvative WAys for motivating prisoners for learning

The aim of this project was to exchange InnOvative WAys (IOWA) for motivating prisoners for learning during their sentence. One of the opportunities is the use of modular or unit-based courses which ensures that the prisoner’s sentence length, or transfer to another prison mid-sentence, which are important barriers to participation in education, do not prevent them from undertaking or completing education and training (Langelid, 2009). Modular courses can also be a way of motivating the individual and providing evidence of the prisoners capabilities. In the programs of the fiour participating institutes of IOWA, some prisoners are serving short-term sentences so they are generally not able to complete a full apprenticeship training. Therefore the modularised version of the apprenticeship allows participants to enroll in the first part of the course during their stay in prison and complete the second part once they are released (Hammerschick, 2011) . As many prisoners have negative perceptions and previous experiences of education, this project wants to focus on methodologies for motivation of inmates by creating a learner-centred approach building on individual skills, competences and past experiences together with alternative styles of teaching and learning. One of the key elements in the implementation of this approach is the professional development of adult educators, trainers, teachers in prison, as they are the leading agents of change. By exchanging good practices in methodologies for motivating prisoners, four participating organisations developed a guidebook which, as we hope, will support educators and other stakeholders in prison in their efforts of removing barriers to participation and increasing the quality of adult education by better motivating prisoners for learning. The results led to a workshop on IOWA with dissemination of all the materials produced on both paper and multimedia supports and published on the project website.This partnership integrated the competences and experiences in prison education acquired during the international participation by* attracting a diverse and talented staff and student population in terms of background, culture, gender, age and education* including international and intercultural competences in learning outcomes* encouraging international mobility for staff* cooperation with international partners worldwide in international networks and projects* building an organization/environment in line with recognized international standards* using the diversity of staff and students as a resource