At the Trebnje AEC, we have concluded the pilot implementation of the REEDU programme – an inclusive approach to social rehabilitation and education for inmates at the Radeče Correctional Home for individuals aged 14 to 23.
This is a European project where, alongside four other partners from different European countries, we have developed innovative rehabilitation programmes for young offenders. We have adhered to the fundamental objectives and guidelines of the REEDU programme, which include:
- Developing social skills, active citizenship, and strengthening the values and self-confidence of participants.
- Involving significant adults for individual inmates, prison professionals and certain role models.
In the Radeče Correctional Home, young individuals aged 14 to 23 are serving sentences for committing criminal offences. The primary aim of their involvement is the rehabilitation of these young individuals, shaping meaningful values, fostering responsibility and developing social competencies alongside education and vocational training. The regular programme in the institution, the only one of its kind in Slovenia, is based on the individual work of professionals with each young person, combined with group-based activities.
Young people with a criminal background generally belong to discriminated groups within society, facing difficulties in labour market integration and often ranking among the most vulnerable in a social context. They commonly share characteristics such as a lack of social skills and education, weak social connections, distorted values, low self-esteem and diminished self-confidence. Their successful integration is impeded by the stigma they face, along with prevalent prejudices and stereotypes within the general population (they can not be trusted, they steal, they are dangerous, etc.).
A distinctive feature among juveniles placed in the Radeče Correctional Home is emotional-behavioural difficulties and disorders. Most of them come from challenging family situations, their lifestyle is monotonous, their behaviour is inappropriate, and they experiment with drugs. School and work do not interest them. Hence, alongside developing competencies required for successful societal integration, special attention has been devoted to instilling new values, altering self-perception and strengthening their self-confidence to enable them to endure and persist on a newly charted path.
Activities were based on group work and collaborative learning. The project-based method substantially allowed for the consideration of individual interests while concurrently pursuing the programme’s objectives. In half of the workshops, the Lego Serious Play method was employed. Working with Lego bricks enabled young individuals to express themselves freely and without hesitation, facilitating quicker problem-solving. This method encourages dialogue, prompts thinking, fosters problem-solving abilities and offers solutions. When imagination is set free and hands speak, the products crafted by the youngsters unveil their problems while also suggesting solutions.
The inclusion of role models proved to be a highly successful move. Three individuals who had undergone similar experiences during their youth, successfully overcoming addiction and other forms of delinquent behaviour, were invited. These individuals currently lead successful, content and fulfilling lives. They shared their personal stories and experiences with our participants, aiding them in envisioning a brighter future. They instilled hope and courage, inspiring perseverance on this path. This encounter made a profound impression on the young people.
All contributors and practitioners involved in the programme are satisfied with its implementation. However, the participants themselves also expressed particular satisfaction. In evaluative discussions, each of them confirmed that it was good, beneficial and enjoyable and that they learned something new. They enjoyed the creative process, appreciated methods like role-playing, the relaxed atmosphere and laughter and praised the involvement of their educators.
Young offenders constitute a specific target group. They lack prolonged concentration abilities, are impatient, inadequately educated and lack profound insight. They commonly lack realistic expectations and do not perceive barriers; they live in their own illusions. Only when we make things more tangible is when they see them differently. Hence, when planning activities, the focus should be on process-oriented goals. We must ensure that their time is meaningfully occupied, providing them with something tangible in the moment. We need to allow time for new experiences and realisations to reshape their perspectives slowly.
Our task is to help them develop personal strength, seek their own path and offer professional support in doing so. The programme we conducted with them was a catalyst and guidance toward assuming responsibility and building self-trust. We equipped them with information on where they can seek help. We reinforced the belief that they are not and will not be alone.
Zdenka Nanut Planinšek (zdenkanp@gmail.com), external collaborator of Trebnje AEC
