Two articles that were presented at the International Simposium COMUNICARE - NECESITATE, STIINTA, ABILITATE - Editia a II-a, that was organized in Craiova by the SCOALA GIMMAZIALA "GHEORGHE TITEICA" on April 9th, 2015.

1. Grundtvig project: “Second Chance”
The education in prisons, second chance
How did come out the idea for this project? What has been done over the two years of
the project?
Since long time ago, the different countries participating in this project had the desire,
firstly, making public the specificity of schools in prison and the work carried out there,
and secondly, finding out if the education received by students in our respective prisons
was really useful for them, if it provided them the necessary tools to resume their lives
once released, that is, whether prison education actually meant a second chance. Trying
to answer to our concerns and questions, we thought it would be interesting to conduct
an investigation and in that way the idea of our project arose.
This project involves six countries: Spain, Italy Estonia, Poland, Romania and Turkey.
All of us work, directly or indirectly, in the education of people who are in situations of
deprivation of liberty.
Why Second Chance? Because we started from the hypothesis that education at
penitentiaries is a second chance for many inmates as it enhances the tools required to
develop in society which they did not have in the past. All participants think that the
training we develop in prisons may favour reducing criminal recidivism, with the social
impacts that entails.
This project began in September 2013 and will end in June 2015. We considered the
following goals:
1. Knowing what our students thought about the school in prison and finding out if
actually their passing through the school had helped them or was helping and how.

2. 2. Using their information to make suggestions in order to improve, create a change, and
share them among all the participating countries with the aim of achieving that the
Education in prisons really becomes a second chance.
In order to achieve these two goals, we designed two quite different phases:
a) During the first year we collected the information of our students, in order to be able
to analyze our work as professionals of Prisons and make suggestions for improvement.
b) During the second year, we have been implementing some of these proposals in order
to improve the Education in prisons.
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 First phase of the project:
To collect the information from our students, we designed a model based on qualitative
research which was based on interviews, life stories and focus groups. We wanted to
listen to our students, be empathic, sensitive with them and understand their school
experience. Our students were the protagonists and, through their voices, we could
reflect on our role as teachers and look for ways to improve it.
Together with all the countries, we agreed on elaborating the guidelines and the script of
the interviews in order to know important aspects of inmates' lives, in general, and their
school experience, in particular. The final goal was to find out their feelings regarding
schooling, what it meant for them, their participation in the school in the prison and
their opinion on the methodology used and the comparison with their previous

3. experiences. Regarding their school experiences, we focused on three main aspects: the
person, the social context and the educational institution.
With the information obtained in the interviews, we developed the respective life
stories. The aim was to write a narrative that reflects the interpretation of memories,
ideas, facts, feelings ... of the students interviewed. We did not want to stay in a purely
descriptive level, but to be able to make a good interpretation of the information
obtained to facilitate the subsequent reflections and be able to share them among all
project participants.
In total 71 interviews were made with their life stories:
- In Turkey, 12 students from Gebze Prison.
- In Italy 13, 5 students from Siena prison and 8 students from San Gimignano Prison.
- In Romania 15 inmates from juvenile and young prison of Craiova.
- In Poland 10 inmates from Detention Centre in Varsaw-Bialoleka.
- In Estonia 8 inmates from Center Open Prison Jõhvi, "Viru Prison".
- In Spain 13 students from Barcelona Men's Prison.
Once the interviews and their life stories were done, each country extracted the key
aspects, the most relevant aspects. Everything was shared, and in a pooling session, all
countries agreed on new lines of work, new hypotheses. Through the focus groups,
these were discussed by new students, new voices, and thus enrich our research. Finally,
we drew the conclusions from this first phase of the project.
Regarding the students, we concluded that, at attending at school, they stop feeling as
inmates of prison to become students. Often daily life in prison is hard, lonely, and
hostile.... with very rigid structures. In general, the inmates feel insecure and their self-
esteem is very low. In fact, they think they are not capable of doing many things, for
example, studying and learning. However, the school is seen as one of the few places
where change is possible. For them, school is a relaxed place where they feel
protagonists, active part of their learning process, and, moreover, respected for their
knowledge and their chances to learn. Those things help them to increase their
confidence and self-esteem.

4. Regarding the methodology, we realized that our students really value the collaborative
learning, with other students, because it means recognition of them and the others and,
therefore, it increases their self-esteem and confidence in their abilities. If, in addition,
the learning is useful, they find more sense and motivation to continue learning as they
see the applicability of learning in the future. As a result of this, it is established a
commitment to the school, with the teacher and the other students. Certificates and
degrees are also a good incentive to be linked with the school and they are valued,
therefore, as a key aspect for the reinsertion in situation of freedom.
Finally, with regard to teachers, students emphasize the importance of teachers and they
stress their ability to listen, understanding, sensitivity, empathy ... among other
qualities, but especially emphasize their patience that could be interpreted as having in
mind the peculiarities of students and different learning rates. They value the ability of
teachers to adapt materials, activities and explanations in order to reach all students and
thus ensure their learning.
Based on these conclusions, new proposals for improvement were formulated in order
to carry them out during the second year of the project. These proposals were about four
blocks: improvements relating to students, teachers, methodology and thinking about
the future.
It was a very intense first year. The participating countries had different ways of
working, thinking, organizing; there were cultural and linguistic differences; different
ways of understanding the prison system, of understanding the education, and, as a
consequence, understanding schools in prisons. But this, at the same time, was a great
enrichment. We were able to agree with the differences and build from them.
This first year of the project culminated with the publication of a digital book where you
can find a selection of the life histories made by each country. We invite you to read
them:
issuu.com/rosilu80/docs/life_stories_ebook_final/0
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5.  Second phase of the project:
During the second year of the project, we proposed to implement some of the agreed
improvements at the end of the first year and collect them in a digital guide, as a result
of all things done during this second phase of the project. Moreover, to achieve the
involvement and participation of different students in that second phase, it was agreed
that a series of exchange activities would be carried out: letters, postcards, small gifts...
which were a means of communication and a channel to share their point of view on the
project.
Regarding the improvement proposals, each country selected the ones that they wanted
to carry out, according to their immediate needs and possibilities. It was agreed that
each country would do, at least, three from different blocks. The objective was to design
an action plan and begin the implementation.
Thanks to the exchanging activities carried out throughout the second year, students
have been able to express their views on the changes implemented in their schools and
share them among the participating countries. As in the first year of the project, we
wanted that students were the true protagonists, that they felt participants and could live
the project. And through their voices, we could redefine and improve the different
activities we had planned. In order to disseminate the results of these exchange
activities, a large exhibition has been carried out in our last meeting, in Poland.

6. The second year of the project will culminate with the publication of the digital guide,
where the results of all improvements implemented in each country will be finding. We
are absolutely convinced that this digital guide will reflect the efforts of all of us to get
that education in prisons becomes, really, a second chance for all inmates. We
encourage you to read it when it is published.
Authors:
Javier Aranda Nicolás
Ana Belén Barrionuevo Peco
Ariadna Burbail Martínez
Laia Castell Padilla
AntoniCutillas Coral
David Fornons Fontdevila
Anna González Alastruey
Isabel Paredes Benet
Montserrat Puente Otero
Montserrat Remon Figuls
Eva Sala Montañés
Bárbara Sentinella Amengual
Maria Dolors Torner Vives

7. Grundtvig project: “Second Chance”
The impact of the project in our school: CFA Jacint Verdaguer (Spain)
It is difficult to explain in words the impact of the project Second Chance in our
school, since two intense years have left a major imprint on our institution. The project
has given us the opportunity to meet other penitentiary and educational realities, which
have enriched and made us appreciate our situation. It also allowed us to meet people
committed to a common goal; and how, from this, we have worked from each country,
and then we have reached a consensus between all the different decisions. This
possibility of working group has been very enriching. Furthermore, in this project we
have already seen some improvements and results before finishing it, because there are
actions that have been evaluated, and this point not only underlines our daily work, but
also demonstrates that the project is alive.
As teachers, it made us think more about our work and be aware of how far we
have come, and also realize that we can continue to grow and know our working line. It
also provided us to continue adding more security efforts in this direction. It has been a
great opportunity to introduce our way of working and thinking of education and reach
other professionals associated with this area of adult education and education in
penitentiary centers.
The project has allowed students to have an active role. On one hand, they have
been aware of all the learning process and, on the other hand, we are aware of the
importance of this active participation. In this regard, not only the sensitivity from
teachers has increased, but also being more receptive towards the demands that students
express. Furthermore, this aspect has been demonstrated because there is a greater
capacity of adaptation to change while programming. The dialogue created between us
and the areas of communication that have been opened favoring common enrichment; it
has been very rewarding to hear our student’s voices and made us see that our thoughts

8. are reflected in their words, ideas and feelings. The main idea is that the school provides
opportunities and different options for the students.
Is there life after the "Second Chance"? We can say that this was the beginning
of a project, a new line of work and understanding the adult school. It has meant a
second chance in terms of personal and professional growth. We are very proud of the
recognition and the echo it has had at the institutional level as a center. We would like
to continue working on this direction; so, yes, we believe that there is life after the
"Second Chance", new projects are waiting for us.
Authors:
Javier Aranda Nicolás
Ana Belén Barrionuevo Peco
Ariadna Burbail Martínez
Laia Castell Padilla
AntoniCutillas Coral
David Fornons Fontdevila
Anna González Alastruey
Isabel Paredes Benet
Montserrat Puente Otero
Montserrat Remon Figuls
Eva Sala Montañés
Bárbara Sentinella Amengual
Maria Dolors Torner Vives