I feel joy and gratitude to have been part of the "CUP- Convict Upskilling Pathways" project team from the first moment of the project's acceptance by Turin in November 2019 until its end in July 2022.
Epaνοδοs N.P.I.D., with which I have been working since 2016, as a Labour Counsellor, participates as a partner in the approved European project "Convicts Upskilling Pathways (CUP)" funded by Erasmus+, Axis "Strategic Partnerships in Adult Education".
The coordinating partner of the project, which is an international partnership, is Compagnia di San Paolo from Italy, with a total of 7 partners from Italy, the Netherlands, Greece and Cyprus.
A few words about the CUP project
To briefly mention that the CUP project aims to design and develop pilot training programmes for the reintegration of female and male prisoners in 6 European prisons. At the same time it develops and provides the necessary tools for the evaluation of the process and results, as well as the methodology to raise awareness among potential employers and the public at large.
The project deliverables, to the development of which I contributed, include:
The application of the outputs from the CUP project
In Greece, the innovative training tools were pilot tested in the laboratories of three Detention Centres: Men's Detention Centre in Chalkida, the Special Youth Detention Centre of Vlora and the Women's Detention Centre of Eleonas, Thebes.
In the Women's Centre of Eleonas Thebes I had the luck and the pleasure to coordinate the workshops, which in the technical part were related to Coptic-Sculpture. At the same time, the 30 participants attended a course in basic mathematics and business knowledge, as well as a workshop on the development of soft skills.
The graduation ceremony
With the 30 imprisoned Ladies as protagonists, with a beautiful celebration, the training programme that innovated while developing technical, basic and social skills was completed today. The celebration included an exhibition of the works created by the participating prisoners during their training period, as well as the award ceremony.
Similar glittering ceremonies were held in all three detention facilities with distinguished guests and representatives of the political and business world.
I would like to make special mention of the participation of two ladies whom I admire and whose emotion and interest impressed me. They are the fashion designer Lucia, the actress, presenter and journalist Maria Bakodimou.
The lovely Lucia chatted with them, saw their works and gave them bracelets made in her studio.
Along with the distinguished guests who attended the closing and awarding ceremonies, mention and thanks are also due to the team of trainers and scientists. These people, despite all the challenges, managed to coordinate the 90-hour workshops, to train, empower and inspire the participants to cultivate beyond knowledge, responsibility and vision in the potential Releasees.
