Escape Project

The three most rewarding types of rehabilitation for prison inmates are: Education Rehabilitation, Employment Rehabilitation, Counseling Rehabilitation. Different countries in Europe have different capacity to provide adequate rehabilitation to prisoners. This explains the great gap among EU countries as regard to the level of incarceration, with East European countries more than 100 inmates per 100 000 inhabitants (Bulgaria – 105), Scandinavian countries around 50 inmates to 100 0000 inhabitants (Finland – 49,9), Italy – 101.

The Covid-19 crisis has had a strong impact on the labour market increasing unemployment among inmates leaving detention structures. There is an urgent need to take actions. If prison inmates receive the opportunity to learn professional skills and acquire knowledge in a specialized field, not only do they rarely return to prison (single-digit percentage), but they also go on to build businesses, create jobs, and inspire their local communities. Change doesn’t have to wait until after a sentence is over. Change can happen in prison, all along the way.

ESCAPE project (Professional Skills and Competences – Alternative to Prison) is co-funded by EU Erasmus+ program and its main objective is to foster exchange of good practices among professionals working in rehabilitation of prisoners, especially in education and employment. Professionals from Bulgaria, Italy and Finland will be involved in 3 training and exchange activities to discuss most effective rehabilitation practices with a focus on education and employment. Training activities will take place in Tampere, Alessandria, Plovdiv/Sofia and will involve professionals and volunteers interested to help inmates rehabilitation.

After the completion of the SCALE project a handbook with good practices and success stories will be available for all stakeholders.

Partners:

UISP Alessandria, ITALY

SILTA, FINLAND

COURAGE FOUNDATION, BULGARIA

ORBI AGENCY, BULGARIA