Favouring Autonomy Innovation Reintegration

The FAIR project was developed to facilitate the exchange of good practices among 4 European organizations working in the field of education and social reintegration of incarcerated individuals. T...

The FAIR project was developed to facilitate the exchange of good practices among 4 European organizations working in the field of education and social reintegration of incarcerated individuals. The project primarily addressed the horizontal priority of “Inclusion and diversity in all fields of education and training,” considering the cultural and social marginalization experienced by the prison population across Europe. Although both EU and national regulations acknowledged the role of education in rehabilitation, in practice, incarcerated people still had limited access to meaningful educational and professional opportunities. FAIR aimed to strengthen and expand these pathways to ensure real and lasting reintegration during and after detention. The project also sought to explore and implement restorative justice practices as an alternative to punitive systems, which had often failed in both rehabilitation and victim restitution. A second key goal was to enhance the skills of social workers, operators and facilitators working in prison or close to prison systems, thus addressing the adult education priority “Improving the competences of operators and other staff members through mutual training among partners.

During the FAIR project, we implemented a range of activities aimed at fostering education, reintegration, and innovation within the prison system. Two training sessions on social and sustainable enterprises were held: the first in Marseille by MS - designer of reaturant LesBeauxMet in the prison Le Beaumettes, and the second in Naples by Neapolide, social cooperative helding the Bistrot Lazzarelle in Naples, managed by women detainees. These activities allowed OE and AMEE to develop their own social business ideas, to invision in their prison of reference. In Madrid, AMEE delivered a comprehensive training on restorative justice practices, enhancing partners' understanding of alternative justice models. Additionally, the Observatory of Education hosted a training in Belgrade, focusing on innovative teaching methodologies for incarcerated learners. Each partner also organized local events in their respective cities to engage the community, promote inclusion, and raise awareness about the potential of incarcerated individuals to contribute meaningfully to society.

A comprehensive handbook was developed, containing guidelines for the creation and management of social and sustainable enterprises linked to prison contexts, but also replicable in other settings focusing on vulnerable groups empowerment. Two business social canvases were created, for future potential application in Belgrade and Madrid, alongside prototypes of green practices tailored for implementation in both venues: the Bistrot Lazzarelle in Naples and the Restaurant LesBeauxMets in Marseille. The project also generated a set of practical guidelines on restorative justice, as well as training materials on innovative teaching methods for incarcerated learners. Moreover, the 4 transnational workshops served as an occasion for learning expedition: by visiting social enterprises and third sector organisations working with fragile subject, the experience was enriched by inspiring insight and practices. In terms of dissemination, dedicated sections were added to each partner's websites to share project outcomes, complemented by targeted social media campaigns to raise awareness and engage broader audiences. 4 articles were published on EPALE, sharing key findings and reflections with the European adult education community.