Focus Groups study the need for training of the workers in prisons in specific spheres

Tuesday, 18 August 2015 10:36 |

A series of Focus Groups was conducted in the period June-August 2015 in the following cities: Plovdiv, Sliven, Stara Zagora, Pleven, Bobov Dol, Varna, Burgas, Vratsa, Boychinovtsi, Lovech, Belene, and Sofia. The activity is part of the project for studying the training needs of workers in prisons. Its implementation has been coordinated by Fund UGA. The participants answered the following important questions: Is there currently a system for training of workers in prisons in the country and what is it?; Does it satisfy the needs of the participants in the Focus Groups?; What are the main difficulties which the participants meet in their work with the imprisoned individuals?; What are the specific goals of an additional training of the participants in the Focus Groups aiming to increase their competence and preparation as workers dealing with individuals with psychiatric disorders and individuals with low intellectual capacity?

Since in the existing system for training and increasing the qualification of the penitentiary workers there are no specific topics for work with individuals with low intellectual capacity the participants showed a great interest and took an active participation in the discussions. They shared their points of view and made suggestions for topics to be included in future programmes for work with imprisoned people from the specified target groups.

The project has been funded by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009-2014 under Programme BG15 “Corrective services including non-custodial sanctions”.