In Italy, two round tables were organised: one in person, managed by EGInA, and another online, coordinated by the Niccolini Institute of Volterra.
The in-person event, held in Rome, was attended by teachers from various CPIA (Centres for Adult Education) across different regions, as well as EPALE ambassadors (from both northern and southern Italy), representatives of national and local associations engaged in training, awareness-raising on solidarity, environmental issues, active citizenship, and community engagement.
During the discussion, it emerged that the Italian network RIDAP (Italian Network for Adult Education) and EPALE are increasingly focusing on prison education, as it is becoming a topic of significant national interest. The objective is to create conditions that encourage greater openness and interaction between the prison community and civil society, also to facilitate the reintegration of prisoners into the local community. In this regard, the role of Permanent Centres for Adult Education is crucial, as they can act as spokespersons for the needs and challenges faced within prisons.
The EcoFarm4Prisons project generated considerable interest, both for its educational aspects and for the implementation of sustainable agriculture initiatives within prisons.
In some Italian prisons, there are poor hygiene and sanitary conditions, alongside issues such as limited internet access and a shortage of trained personnel. Efforts are underway to improve this situation, but Italy’s highly complex bureaucratic system significantly slows down the process of digitalisation.
The model adopted by the prison in Volterra should serve as an example to demonstrate that change is possible.
The online round table, organised by the Niccolini Institute of Volterra, brought together educators working with prisoners, agricultural businesses, and trainers involved in social inclusion projects.
The presentation of the project and the VET Curriculum sparked great interest among participants. Additionally, various topics were discussed, including the psychological and physical well-being of prisoners, strategies to reduce recidivism rates, ways to improve agricultural work in prisons, and future prospects for detainees after their release. All participants contributed, based on their expertise, by offering proposals to enhance and enrich the VET Curriculum, which is one of the project’s key outcomes.
