The aim of the project was to promote a culture of sustainability among teachers and staff in the prison systems of two countries, so that sustainable practices would become an integral part of the prison environment. By encouraging collaboration and the exchange of best practices between the two countries, we aimed to: - develop a training program for teachers and prison staff focusing on sustainable practices and how these can be integrated into daily routines when working with incarcerated individuals and within educational programs, - raise awareness about sustainable practices, - improve the competencies, knowledge, and skills of teachers and other prison staff in the field of sustainability, - train multipliers who can transfer knowledge in the field of sustainable development, - develop resources and teaching materials that teachers and prison staff can use to promote responsibility among incarcerated individuals for implementing sustainable practices, - foster cooperation and knowledge exchange between teachers and staff in the prison systems of two different countries, - promote best practices and effective approaches to sustainable education and daily routines in working with incarcerated individuals.
We applied for this project with the aim of supporting teachers and other staff working in the prison system in developing competencies for planning and implementing sustainable practices in their teaching or their work with incarcerated persons. Both partner organizations identified, based on the results of surveys and focus groups, a need among teachers and other prison staff for training in sustainable development and the integration of sustainable practices into their work or teaching of incarcerated individuals. The prison administrations of the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Croatia have endorsed the project as well, as it offers numerous benefits for the prison system. By strengthening the responsibility of incarcerated individuals for reducing energy and water consumption, the impact on the environment is reduced, and the costs for the prison system are also lowered. Incarcerated individuals gain a sense of value and usefulness, which can lead to better rehabilitation after serving their sentence. The project has a positive impact on the wider community, as it raises awareness of environmental issues within the prison system as well. The project aligns with EU legislation.