Project objectives

1. Empower inmates with marketable skills that lead to employment by developing a training programme in prison focusing on basic computer programming skills (basics of Android and iOS programming, and JavaScript);

2. Enhance the inmates’ understanding of a hype-connected world and environment through increased knowledge of software and coding;

3. Improve the skills of prison trainers/educators to train inmates on basic programming by developing and piloting a training programme for staff (blended learning);

4. Promote the cooperation of prisons with external organisations that can provide job placement for inmates after release in the software development field;

5. Raise the awareness of prison staff, management, educators/trainers and policy makers to the importance of digital/ coding skills enhancement for inmates.

Expected impacts

Coding in prison as a valuable outside tool for employment (Coding-OUT) aims to help break the cycle of incarceration by teaching inmates coding skills that can significantly increase their chances of employment after release. As such, the project will have an overall impact on participating prisons, inmates, teachers, educational/ training providers and local communities. Thus, the following short and medium-term impacts are expected for the different stakeholders: 

For inmates:
1. Increased knowledge of how to cope with the obstacles and challenges to a crime-free lifestyle after incarceration;
2. Knowledge on ICT skills to be able to communicate and interact in everyday life after release;
3. Improved understanding of the hype-connected world and environment, which is often hindered by the confinement conditions of the prison environment;
4. Knowledge on coding skills that will help them be successful in the labour market;
5. Increased chances of employment post-release;
6. Increased motivation to participate in education/ training activities inside prison, by providing high-quality work-based learning opportunities;
7. Prevention of criminal behaviour and decreased risk of unemployment, poverty and social exclusion after release.

For teachers/educators:
1. Improved skills on basic programming by developing and piloting a training programme for staff (blended learning);
2. Increased knowledge about teaching coding to inmates;
3. More awareness about the importance of teaching digital skills to inmates;
4. Higher sense of their role and knowledge complementarity, increasing transferability and replication potential;
5. Increased confidence to work in teams and in different judicial, prison and community environments.

For prisons: 
1. Improve educational and vocational offers to inmates by adding coding in their curricula;
2. Creating of links and establish partnerships with industry experts and employers in this field that can provide job placement for inmates after release in the software development field;
3. Increased understanding of the benefits of collaborative work in European context.