Validation and Motivation for (in)formal Learning in Prison Erasmus Project

Project Title

Validation and Motivation for (in)formal Learning in Prison

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Reaching the policy level/dialogue with decision makers; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Recognition (non-formal and informal learning/credits)

Project Summary

The Validation and Motivation for Informal and Non-formal Learning in Prisons (VALMOPRIS), set out to facilitate the recognition and validation of non-formal and informal learning through the design and delivery of competence-oriented learning activities in prisons and criminal justice settings in the EU. The objectives were to:

• Explore the role and impact of non-formal and informal learning validation in prison alongside its potential to encourage learning and further competence development
• Maximise the motivational potential of non-formal and informal learning, and validation in prisons through the introduction of validation processes and competences relevant to those leaners and the socio-economic disadvantages they face
• Actively contribute to policy discourse on prison education, and promote/enhance the role and potential of non-formal and informal learning validation within prison education and justice settings
• Interact with prison services, raising the profile of the social and personal competences acquired through informal learning (in line with the Council of Europe Recommendations on Education in Prison)
• Support professionals working within prison to validate informal and non-formal learning through training and the creation of a framework, resources and materials required to undertake future and self-directed validation
• Establish a train-the-trainer programme for prison teachers throughout the EU

The project saw professionals and teachers from 7 EU countries, 5 of whom deliver education within criminal justice settings, working in close partnership to design, deliver and validate competence development, as a result of our learners’ engagement with a wide range of non-formal learning activities.

• New College Lanarkshire (Scotland, UK) deliver wide-ranging educational provision within 7 Scottish prisons
• EPPEA (Latvia) are an NGO who deliver prison education offending prevention strategies and resettlement support
• Euro-CIDES (France) deliver training and development opportunities within the field of prison education
• Centrul Educativ Buzias (Romania) is a closed detention centre for young offenders, subordinated to the Romanian National Administration of prisons with a core focus on education values
• Changes and Chances (Netherlands) use the arts as a tool for those who come into contact with the criminal justice system
Two partner organisations specialist in training and education concepts:
• Die Berater (Austria) develop adult education and VET programmes for HR development – including specialised e-learning solutions
• Blinc eG (Germany) develop training concepts, networking and exchange and host the REVEAL network and the LEVEL5 validation methodology

The project explored the impact of competence-oriented learning and non-formal modes of learning on the motivation of prison-based learners to engage in learning – and ascertain the types of competences that were most relevant within prison and justice contexts

As a result of our research and findings, which was carried out with over 90 prison learners and 30 practitioners from 5 EU countries, and pilot activities with 30 teachers that reached 90+ learners, we delivered a set of recommendations for the development of future policy to help all stakeholders to recognise the value of informally-developed competences; as well as a series of practical resources which could be utilised within prisons and criminal justice settings to support practitioners to deliver and validate competence-oriented learning

The VALMOPRIS project produced 4 Intellectual Outputs (IO’s):

• IO1 Study and Policy Recommendations includes full details of our research methodology and findings on the importance of education, competence-development and the validation of learning
• IO2 Competence Frameworks has 40 competences designed for prison and criminal justice settings, which include frameworks for practitioners to develop and adapt within their own learning contexts as well as a catalogue of pilot learning activities
• IO3 Train-the-trainer Programme developed as an online offering through a Moodle platform for learning professional across the EU
• IO4 Practioners’ Guidebook offers advice on how to deliver competence-oriented learning available in partner languages

Impact of the project activities were:

• Increased opportunities for professional training in the delivery of competence-oriented learning and the validation of non-formal and informal learning
• Increased understanding of the benefits of and subsequent engagement with COL and validation processes
• A consistent but flexible approach developed for the delivery of competence-oriented learning and development of the well-established LEVEL5 validation approach for use within prison and criminal justice settings across the EU
• Higher numbers of learners engaging in competence-oriented learning and seeing the psycho-social benefits of their engagement with non-formal learning validation.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 255227,05 Eur

Project Coordinator

New College Lanarkshire & Country: UK

Project Partners

• BLENDED LEARNING INSTITUTIONS COOPERATIVE
• Centrul Educativ Buzias
• DIE BERATER UNTERNEHMENSBERATUNGS GESELLSCHAFT MBH
• Changes&Chances
• EURO-COMPETENCES ET INITIATIVES POUR LE DEVELOPPEMENT DE L’ENTREPRENEURIAT SOLIDAIRE
• EPPEA