NEWS/PRESS RELEASE
Athens , Greece 30/05/2015
Moral dilemmas discussion group
The first circle of psycho-educational interventions within the framework of the European IRISES program (International Roma Integration through Stakeholders' Exchange of Successful practices) “Moral dilemmas discussion group”, has successfully been implemented by professional psychologists of the NGO "Freedom Gate Greece», for the benefit of juvenile prisoners at the Juvenile Penitentiary of Avlona.
The intervention started on 20/01/2015 and ended on Wednesday 13/05/2015 after a series of 15 weekly meetings. The program involved eight members and the scope of the program was to develop skill of decision-making, social and communicative skills and the cultivation psycho-emotional self. In the end of the program, the participants received a written certificate of attendance.
The second circle will start early September at the Juvenile Penitentiary in Corinth which for the moment houses approx. 20 juveniles aged 15 – 18.
Athens, Greece, January 23, 2015
The “IRISES” (International Roma Integration through Stakeholders Exchange of Successful practices) programme was among the 22 projects selected out of over 400 project applications by the European Commission Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Funding Programme.
Freedom Gate Greece will start an in-prison intervention initially in the juvenile prison of Avlona as a full partner within the framework of the “IRISES” programme The project is going to be carried out as from January 2015 for a period of 2 years and the program is coordinated by the Italian organization “UISP” (Sport per Tutti Comitato Territoriale Ciriè Settimo Chivasso) and in cooperation with several other European organizations. The kick off meeting of the “IRISES” programme will take place in Turin Italy in the beginning of February 2015.
Freedom Gate Greece has undertaken a program that targets juvenile inmates and focuses on the prevention of future delinquent behavior. Our aim is to contribute through teaching of new social skills against
aggressive or offending behaviors, juveniles’ psychosocial and developmental growth, as well as the development of collective supportive bonds among them. The specific intervention is designed on the evidence based model of R & R (Reasoning and Rehabilitation, Ross, Fabiano & Ross, 1986) and it focuses and aims e.g. to prevent the appearance of future offending behaviors and to facilitate a smooth reintegration of the juveniles back into the society.
The program has been warmly welcomed by the Avlona prison administration and especially by its psychologists who have supported us throughout the preparation of the project. We appreciate their contribution and the valuable professional knowledge and advice they provided us and we look forward to a successful long-term cooperation.