enhAncing digital SkillS In priSon educaTion

The project aimed to achieve several key objectives by implementing a digital education program for incarcerated learners. By promoting digital competence and algorithmic thinking, the project aim...

The project aimed to achieve several key objectives by implementing a digital education program for incarcerated learners. By promoting digital competence and algorithmic thinking, the project aimed to create a pathway for inmates to develop new talents and gain practical skills relevant for employment after release. Moreover, ASSIST project aimed at: - increasing access to digital tools and technologies for incarcerated learners, facilitating their engagement with practical computing and programming skills; - strengthening digital readiness inside SDE Domokou by developing tailored, sustainable multimedia lessons adaptable for its learners; - enhancing instructors’ knowledge and competencies in adult learning pedagogy issues and empowering them to deliver effective digital education to their learners - promoting inclusion by supporting the diverse and multicultural population of Domokos correctional facility - providing incarcerated learners with algorithmic thinking and programming skills to discover and develop new talents and improve their personal expertise and digital literacy knowledge; - improving inmates’ future employment opportunities by supporting their successful reintegration into society.

The ASSIST project implemented a comprehensive series of activities designed to enhance digital skills and digital readiness for incarcerated learners at the 1st Second Chance School of Domokos. These activities included: - an online meeting (kick-start) and another meeting in Almeria, Spain. Partners met to discuss and set timeline, management and task distribution; - a comprehensive needs analysis feedback through a dedicated questionnaire filled by 15 participant. This ativity produced a thorough and analytical report; - a development of 24 multimedia courses (digital lessons) covering basic computing, word processing, and Python programming. These courses were designed specifically for imprisoned learners and have been implemented in 3 languages (apart from English, in Greek and Spanish); - an LTTA event for the educators of the program. It was conducted in Volos, Greece, where educators from SDE Domokou were trained on how to effectively deliver the multimedia courses; - a teaching activity of the courses to the imprisoned learners of the school; - a dissemination and multiplier event, which was held in Volos with around 20 participants and the consortium had the chance to present and share the project's outcomes.

The ASSIST project produced several concrete outputs and significant results. The main intellectual output was the development of 24 high-quality multimedia lessons in English, Greek, and Spanish, covering basic computing, word processing, and Python programming suitable for incarcerated learners with limited prior experience. These lessons formed a sustainable digital toolkit tailored for adult education in prison settings, adaptable for future reuse in other correctional facilities (available online and in EPALE platform). Furthermore, among the project's outcomes was the training conducted for the incarcerated learners of SDE Domokou with the implemented material, thus enhancing their pedagogical digital skills. Finally, the project also achieved impactful dissemination through an online multiplier event and a newsletter, raising awareness among stakeholders and promoting adoption beyond the "borders" of a prison. In concrete terms, 12 incarcerated learners directly benefited from the courses by acquiring new ICT competencies. These results demonstrate a significant step toward addressing digital exclusion in adult prison education and fostering inclusion and upskilling pathways.