“When officers use their authority well, legitimately and carefully, every outcome is improved: suicide, disorder, violence, political charge, and even prisoner’s future.”
– Professor Alison Liebling
PROJECT PRISGRADS
PROJECT PRISGRADS
Who is working on it?
PRISGRADS is an Erasmus+ -funded KA210-VET – Small-scale partnership in vocational education and training between RICHTUNGSWECHSEL, INTERCHANGE (DE) and CPIP (RO). This project actively supports the Pact for Skills ‘Liberate Skills’ and its pledge to increase the professionalisation of correctional staff. Evidenced by Unlocked Graduates, the project maps the potential for innovation in vocational training by introducing university graduates to the prison service and providing opportunities in leadership and development through prison staff mentoring.
Project ID: 2023-2-AT01-KA210-VET-000175776 PRISGRADS
Learn more about our
Effective prison officers are extremely skilled professionals who protect and rehabilitate some of the most vulnerable and damaged people in our society. According to Penal Reform International (2023) staff shortages and high staff turnover are a continuous problem faced by prison systems around the world. The lack of staff causes major disruption in the prison regimes and poorer conditions inevitably leading to further problems for staff and incarcerated individuals.
Internationally, responses to staff crises have been short termed, such as filling gaps through military services or civil servants. In their report on prisons and detention conditions in the EU, the European Parliament discusses guidelines regarding recruitment, selection, education, training and professional development of prison and probation staff (2019). Despite these guidelines, there are no compliance measures monitoring staffing at an EU level, due to prison services being exclusively regulated by Member States. However, the high staff shortages and turnover faced across the continent and their interdependence with poor prison conditions and outcomes undermine the fundamental EU values and principles on which judicial cooperation on criminal matters is based. Whilst we see that increased salaries and improved employment conditions are insufficient in supporting recruitment and retention of good prison staff, we also note that there are pockets of new initatives across Europe, and see evidence that a small culture change within prison systems can trigger big changes. Such an example is the Unlocked Graduates Programme, a leadership scheme recruiting outstanding university graduates into the prison service as frontline officers – having placed over 700 officers in prisons in England & Wales since 2017. Thereby, Unlocked raised the status of working in the prison service and raised awareness of the prison officer role in reducing reoffending – a one-of-its-kind approach and part of the solution to the prison staff crisis. We see an urgent need for prison systems in Europe to learn such effective good practice from one another.
All activities in this project are thus geared towards collecting and sharing evidence of other such effective graduate recruitment practice. The private sector invests heavily in graduate recruitment, on-boarding and mentoring graduates. In funding PRISGRADS, the EU provides a plaform to level the playing field in adapting vocational recruitment and training to prison officers’ reality. This small change could help tackle the EU prison staff turnover and recruitment crisis, and promote fundamental human rights based principles of prison. The project aims to provide an insight into how prison services, as employers, undertake an organised programme to attract and employ students who are going on to complete different forms of education. We will also look at key competences for graduates identified by prison administrations and how their recruitment process filters these skills during recruitment and initial training.
Stay Connected on LinkedIn:
We’ll share updates and exciting content about our seminars and the PRISGRADS project. Be part of the conversation—join our PRISGRADS LinkedIn group if you haven’t already:
OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Center for Promoting Lifelong Learning (CPIP)
CPIP is a non-governmental, non-profit organization dedicated to advancing lifelong learning and social engagement. By fostering community involvement, CPIP supports a culture of continuous education and promotes its core values across diverse, multicultural communities. The center offers counseling, training, and organizes a variety of workshops and seminars, both locally and internationally. CPIP also develops innovative projects on educational and social issues, co-funded by the European Commission, to enrich cultural and educational experiences.
Virtual PRISGRADS Seminar
We are thrilled to announce that our next virtual PRISGRADS seminar will take place on January 29th, 2025!
This seminar offers a unique opportunity to engage in international discussions and gain valuable insights into updates from the PRISGRADS project.
Seminar Overview:
Time: 10:00–13:00 (CET)
Location: Online
Preliminary Agenda:
- 10:00–11:00: Keynote and expert contributions
- 11:00–12:00: Project updates, presentations, next steps, and group work
- 12:00–13:00: Networking opportunity and virtual marketplace
Let’s continue working together to build something truly impactful!
We can’t wait to see you there!
Sign up here: https://shorturl.at/kf0mX
Can’t attend the full seminar? No problem—feel free to join partially!
PRISGRADS In-Person Workshop: Prison Staff Recruitment, Training, and Professional Development
We are excited to announce that the PRISGRADS In-Person Workshop on prison staff recruitment, training, and professional development will take place in Vienna (Austria) from 12th to 14th November 2024.
Workshop Overview:
The PRISGRADS team is excited to host an exclusive in-person workshop focusing on the recruitment, training, and professional development of prison staff. This three-day event will gather professionals from across Europe to explore advanced strategies and innovative practices in these critical areas.
Participants will engage with experts on various topics including staff wellbeing, cutting-edge training methodologies, and professional growth. The workshop will also feature visits to the training academy and an Austrian prison facility, providing an opportunity to observe and exchange with Austrian prison service staff.
Key Highlights:
- Interactive sessions with European professionals
- Insights into innovative training programmes
- Visits to key facilities in Austria
Participation Details:
As this workshop is invite-only, we are not able to accommodate public registrations. However, we welcome expressions of interest and are happy to provide updates on this and future events. For more information or to inquire about potential participation, please contact us at prisgradsproject@richtungswechsel.or.at.
Participation Details:
As this workshop is invite-only, we are not able to accommodate public registrations. However, we welcome expressions of interest and are happy to provide updates on this and future events. For more information or to inquire about potential participation, please contact us at prisgradsproject@richtungswechsel.or.at.
PRISGRADS News and Inspiring Practices in Graduate Recriutment and Retention
A key focus of this project is addressing one of the identified gaps in the field: the lack of shared knowledge and exchange of successful practices in graduate recruitment and retention among correctional administrations.
Too often, prison administrations operate in isolation, unaware of the innovative or inspiring approaches that have proven successful elsewhere. This project seeks to close that gap by fostering the exchange of good, current, and inspiring practices. By creating a platform for collaboration and knowledge-sharing, we aim to build stronger connections between correctional institutions and provide opportunities to learn from each other’s success stories.
Through this initiative, we empower prison administrations to adopt strategies that enhance graduate recruitment and retention, contributing to a more dynamic and sustainable correctional service across regions.
Please visit this page for the materials developed within the project.
PRISGRADS Workshop Presentations: Practitioner’s Perspective – The Need for High Recruitment Standards and EU Standardisation
LinkedIn 06.12.2024
✨ PRISGRADS Workshop Presentations – December Series ✨
Throughout December, we’ll be sharing executive summaries of the insightful presentations from the PRISGRADS Workshop. These sessions focused on innovative approaches in recruitment, training, and leadership development within the prison systems across Europe.
Today, we’re highlighting the first presentation:
📢 Practitioner’s Perspective – The Need for High Recruitment Standards and EU Standardisation
Presenter: Torben Adams, Head of Division, Ministry of Justice & Constitutional Affairs, Bremen, Germany.
Stay tuned for the next summaries, where we’ll share more perspectives on improving correctional systems! 🌍💡
Thank you Torben Adams for this amazing presentation!😃
HashtagPRISGRADS HashtagCriminalJustice HashtagInnovationInCorrections HashtagLeadershipInJustice HashtagRecruitmentStandards
A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the PRISGRADS Workshop
🌟 A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the PRISGRADS Workshop 🌍
At the PRISGRADS Workshop, we had the opportunity to speak with the organizers: Tamara Höfer (CEO of Richtungswechsel – AT and organiser of the workshop), Rhianon Williams (CEO of Interchange and PRISGRADS partner), and Alexandru Ursulescu (researcher at CPIP Romania – Centrul pentru Promovarea Invatarii Permanente also a PRISGRADS partner).
🎤 In the interviews, you’ll discover:
1️⃣ What PRISGRADS is and the goals of the project.
2️⃣ How the partner organisations present themselves and their contributions.
3️⃣ The personal motivations behind organizing the workshop.
4️⃣ What the participants expect in terms of outcomes and long-term impact.
➡️ Dive into fascinating insights about this international project, paving new ways in the development of correctional staff! 💡✨
European Commission
ONLINE available on Youtube: https://lnkd.in/dyUjs6Vv
Exciting News: Our Next PRISGRADS Seminar!
🇬🇧
✨ Exciting News: Our Next PRISGRADS Seminar! ✨
🌍 We are thrilled to announce that our next virtual PRISGRADS seminar will take place on January 29th, 2025!
This seminar offers a fantastic opportunity to dive into international discussions and gain insights into updates from the PRISGRADS project. 💡
🕒 Time: 10:00–13:00 (CET)
💻 Location: Online
📋 Preliminary Agenda:
10:00–11:00 🗝️ Keynote & expert contributions
11:00–12:00 🛠️ Project updates, presentations, next steps, & group work
12:00–13:00 🤝 Networking opportunity & virtual marketplace
💡 What is PRISGRADS?
PRISGRADS is an international project focused on the recruitment, training, and professional development of correctional staff. Through seminars and workshops, we connect experts, share knowledge, and create impactful strategies to support and improve the correctional system across Europe. 🌟
👉 Can’t attend the full seminar? No problem—feel free to join partially!
📩 Sign up here: https://shorturl.at/kf0mX
📣 Stay Connected:
Throughout December, we’ll share updates and exciting content about the seminar and the PRISGRADS project. Be part of the conversation—join our PRISGRADS LinkedIn group if you haven’t already:
https://lnkd.in/dhraAvgW
Let’s continue working together to build something truly impactful! 🌍✨
We can’t wait to see you there! 💜
🇦🇹
✨ Spannende Neuigkeiten: Unser nächstes PRISGRADS-Seminar! ✨
🌍 Wir freuen uns, euch mitteilen zu können, dass unser nächstes virtuelles PRISGRADS-Seminar am 29. Januar 2025 stattfinden wird!
Das Seminar bietet eine großartige Gelegenheit, an internationalen Diskussionen teilzunehmen und Einblicke in die neuesten Entwicklungen des PRISGRADS-Projekts zu gewinnen. 💡
🕒 Zeit: 10:00–13:00 (MEZ)
💻 Ort: Online
📋 Vorläufige Agenda:
10:00–11:00 🗝️ Keynote & Expertenbeiträge
11:00–12:00 🛠️ Projektupdates, Präsentationen, nächste Schritte & Gruppenarbeit
12:00–13:00 🤝 Networking & virtueller Marktplatz
💡 Was ist PRISGRADS?
PRISGRADS ist ein internationales Projekt, das sich auf die Rekrutierung, Ausbildung und berufliche Entwicklung von Justizvollzugspersonal konzentriert. Durch Seminare und Workshops vernetzen wir Expert:innen, teilen Wissen und entwickeln wirkungsvolle Strategien zur Unterstützung und Verbesserung des Justizvollzugs in Europa. 🌟
👉 Keine Zeit für das gesamte Seminar? Kein Problem – gerne könnt ihr auch nur an einzelnen Teilen teilnehmen!
📩 Hier anmelden: https://shorturl.at/kf0mX
📣 Bleibt auf dem Laufenden:
Im Dezember werden wir weitere Updates und spannende Inhalte zum Seminar und zum PRISGRADS-Projekt teilen. Macht mit und bleibt Teil der Diskussion – tretet unserer PRISGRADS LinkedIn-Gruppe bei, falls ihr noch nicht dabei seid:
https://lnkd.in/dhraAvgW
Lasst uns weiterhin gemeinsam etwas wirklich Bedeutendes schaffen! 🌍✨
Wir freuen uns darauf, euch beim Seminar zu sehen! 💜
HashtagPRISGRADS HashtagVirtuellesSeminar HashtagBeruflicheWeiterbildung HashtagJustizvollzug HashtagInnovation
RECAP PRISGRADS Workshop Vienna – 2024
🇬🇧
✨RECAP PRISGRADS Workshop Vienna – 2024✨
Last week, we hosted the PRISGRADS Workshop gaining valuable insights and learning about recruitment & mentoring 📚🤝. A huge thank you once again to our partners CPIP and Interchange for the organization, the EU for the co-funding, and all participants, including Unlocked Graduates for the exciting knowledge exchange 🌍👏.
We’ll be sharing more about the outcomes of the workshop soon – stay tuned by joining our LinkedIn Group! 🔜✨ https://lnkd.in/dhraAvgW
🚀 With the knowledge and expertise of professionals worldwide 🌎, we aim to inspire more people to join the field of the justice system and support those already working in it. Through well-thought-out mentoring programs, we ensure that correctional officers and the justice system continue to evolve 🔄💪, providing the best possible support ❤️. Thank you so much! 🙏✨
🇦🇹
✨Rückblick PRISGRADS Workshop Vienna – 2024 ✨
Letzte Woche leiteten wir den PRISGRADS Workshop und konnten dabei viel lernen und wertvolle Erkenntnisse gewinnen 📚🤝. Nochmals ein großes Dankeschön an unsere Partner CPIP Romania – Centrul pentru Promovarea Invatarii Permanente und Interchange für die Organisation, der EU für das Co-Funding und allen Teilnehmenden, darunter auch Unlocked Graduates für den spannenden Wissensaustausch 🌍👏.
Wir werden euch bald mehr über die Ergebnisse des Workshops berichten – seid gespannt darauf und trete unserer LinkedInGruppe bei! 🔜✨ https://lnkd.in/dhraAvgW
🚀 Gemeinsam mit dem Wissen und der Expertise von Expert:innen weltweit 🌎 möchten wir mehr Menschen für die Arbeit im Justizvollzug begeistern und diejenigen unterstützen, die bereits in diesem Bereich tätig sind. Durch durchdachte Mentoring-Programme stellen wir sicher, dass Justizvollzugsbeamt:innen und das Justizsystem sich kontinuierlich weiterentwickeln 🔄💪, um die bestmögliche Unterstützung bereitzustellen ❤️. Vielen Dank! 🙏✨
HashtagPRISGRADS HashtagWorkshop HashtagCollaboration HashtagKnowledgeExchange HashtagMentoring HashtagJustice Hashtagbettertogether HashtagPeople HashtagThankYou
(Tamara Höfer, Rhianon Williams, Alexandru Ursulescu)
PRISGRADS Workshop Day 2
🇬🇧
✨ 2nd PRISGRADS Workshop Day ✨
Day 2 of our workshop started with a brief recap of the first day, including the exciting visit to Korneuburg Prison and the Correctional Academy 🏛️. With the knowledge gained, participants focused on finding practical applications today. In small groups, they worked on identifying key competency areas for mentors, developing questions to measure these skills, and analyzing how best to assess them 🤝📊.
❓ Why did we do this? Because we are developing an online self-assessment checklist for organizations 🖥️✔️ to analyze their mentoring capacities and identify areas for improvement. The goal is to support organizations in effectively fostering correctional staff and creating a prison culture that is built on professional excellence 🛡️🌟. The day concluded with a feedback session full of positive responses and a collaborative action planning session for implementation 🔄🙌.
We extend our heartfelt thanks for the educational and informative days and to the motivated participants. It was a pleasure! 🤗🙏✨
🇦🇹
✨ 2. PRISGRADS Workshop-Tag ✨
Tag 2 unseres Workshops begann mit einem kurzen Recap des ersten Tages, inklusive des spannenden Besuchs in der Justizanstalt Korneuburg und der Strafvollzugsakademie 🏛️. Mit dem gewonnenen Wissen setzten die Teilnehmer:innen
ihren Fokus heute darauf, praktische Anwendungen zu finden. In Kleingruppen wurden die wichtigsten Kompetenzbereiche für Mentor:innen erarbeitet, Fragen zur Messbarkeit dieser Fähigkeiten entwickelt und analysiert, wie sie am besten eingeschätzt werden können 🤝📊.
❓ Warum haben wir das gemacht? Weil wir eine Online-Selbstbewertungs-Checkliste für Organisationen entwickeln werden 🖥️✔️, um ihre Mentoring-Kapazitäten und Verbesserungspotenziale zu analysieren. Ziel ist es, die Organisationen dabei zu unterstützen, Justizvollzugsbeamt:innen
optimal zu fördern und eine Gefängniskultur zu schaffen, die auf beruflicher Exzellenz basiert 🛡️🌟. Den Abschluss bildete eine Feedbackrunde mit durchweg positiver Resonanz und ein gemeinsames Action Planning für die Implementierung 🔄🙌.
Wir bedanken uns herzlichst für die lehrreichen und informativen Tage und für die motivierten Teilnehmer:innen. Es war sehr schön! 🤗🙏✨
Partners: Tamara Höfer, Rhianon Williams, Alexandru Ursulescu, Richtungswechsel – AT, Interchange, CPIP Romania – Centrul pentru Promovarea Invatarii Permanente
💪✨ HashtagWorkshopRecap HashtagMentorshipDevelopment HashtagTeamwork HashtagVocationalExcellence HashtagPRISGRADS HashtagChange HashtagMentoring
