EPALE - Elektronická platforma pro vzdělávání dospělých v Evropě

Short biography

I am the director of the NGO FREE ZONE. Our NGO provides informal training to people in penal institutions with the possibility of later employment as social workers. I am involved in this process, communicating with government bodies and representatives of penal institutions to manage the courses.

My Story of Empowerment

People in prisons are a valuable resource for society, provided they receive support and opportunities for their development. Since 2021, the NGO FREE ZONE has been implementing a unique practice of informal education of people in penal institutions, in particular, training of social workers from among the prisoners on the basis of the "peer-to-peer" principle, with the possibility of their subsequent employment in NGOs. The training is carried out using a specially designed training module developed by FREE ZONE specialists in close cooperation with representatives of the Health Centre of the State Criminal Executive Service of Ukraine (HC SCES) and officially approved for the training of prisoners. The course lasts 2 months and includes 8 sessions on socially significant diseases, types and mechanisms of counselling, ethical norms and more. Separate supplementary modules focusing on specific activities and topics, such as early tuberculosis screening, are also added to deepen knowledge.

The training of prisoners as social workers on a peer-to-peer basis includes a basic course and additional courses to deepen knowledge and skills. Upon completion of the basic and specialised modules, knowledge levels are assessed using online tools. If an inmate scores 75% correct on such an assessment, he/she will receive an electronic certificate of successful completion of the course. This informal education opportunity for prisoners has been available since 2021. During this period, more than 1300 prisoners have been trained. Since the beginning of 2024, FREE ZONE has contracted 50 prisoners as social workers on a "peer-to-peer" basis, providing services directly in the prison in return for financial compensation.

The training of peer-to-peer social workers from among the inmates is a powerful resource for the further rehabilitation of ex-convicts upon their reintegration into the community. While still serving their sentence and in a closed institution, inmates have the opportunity to gain not only practical knowledge in the provision of social services to combat socially significant diseases, which can help them find employment upon release, but also practical skills.

Upon successful completion of the training, a prisoner can be contracted by an NGO as a consultant providing a comprehensive package of services to combat socially significant diseases (peer-to-peer social worker), providing services while still serving their sentence in the institution and receiving monetary compensation.

The opportunity for prisoners to develop through education allows them to become more competitive in the labour market, to gain an alternative to criminal behaviour and to increase their internal motivation.

Education is a catalyst for pro-social development. The tasks involved in creating opportunities for informal education for prisoners are much deeper and more powerful, because it is not just about the knowledge gained. It is also about socialisation with the community, providing tools for self-employment and reducing recidivism and crime. It is also worth noting that the presence of such social workers and the provision of services to prisoners based on the peer-to-peer principle increases the effectiveness of the proposed support for combating socially dangerous diseases in prison, creating an environment of mutual support and trust.