Stories from Europe

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Hungary’s President Visits PF’s APAC

In May, President Sólyom Láslo visited VAC prison in response to an invitation by the Hungarian Association of Prison Chaplains. During the visit Mr. Láslo met with officials from the prison administration, 70 prison chaplains, and PF Hungary volunteers. He also spent 45 minutes in PF Hungary’s APAC programme where he heard testimonies from participants and listened to the APAC choir sing.

Exploring alternatives in Finland

During the last year, PF Finland organized two seminars for staff from different churches and faith communities working in prison. About one-third of the seminar agenda included justice topics discussing the roles that faith communities can serve in such work.

PF Scotland Continues to Expand the Sycamore Tree Project®

Since implementing the Sycamore Tree Project® in 2003, PF Scotland has worked to expand its coverage in various prisons. In its recent newsletter, the ministry reported that the programme has adapted well for the Scottish context being fully established in four prisons with another two beginning implementation.

PF Brazil’s Valdeci Ferreira helps promote APAC in Portugal

In mid-October, Valdeci Ferreira, executive director of PF Brazil, participated in several events organised by members of PF Portugal. The trip stems from Valdeci’s presentation in a zonal training in 2008 that inspired the local PF Portugal partner in Porto to invite him back. The hope is that more awareness about the APAC methodology is needed to pave the way for an APAC project in Portugal.

Press release: Evaluation of the Sycamore Tree Programme

On 13 October 2009, PF England and Wales released the report “Evaluation of the Sycamore Tree Programme” authored by Simon Feasey and Patrick Williams of the Hallam Centre for Community Justice. The evaluation showed "significant positive attitudinal changes" in prisoners participating in Sycamore Tree Project® from January 2006 to May 2009. Read the press release below.

PF Scotland and the Sycamore Tree Project®

In December 2008, a new private prison opened in Scotland, HMP Addiewell. The prison management plans to introduce rehabilitation programmes with defined content and outcomes. PF Scotland’s Sycamore Tree Project® was among the first to be introduced in May 2009.

Prisoners Help the Wheelchair-bound Participate in Pilgrimage

Today over 5,000 individuals, mostly youth, will conclude their 160 mile pilgrimage to Czestachova, Poland. Twenty prisoners have been released to join the 10 days of walking and to assist disabled participants.

PF Hungary to Launch an APAC-based Prison Unit

Inspired by the APAC methodology developed by PF Brazil, PF Hungary has secured permission to launch an APAC-based programme for juvenile offenders. The new programme will work with sixteen prisoners in one section of a prison located about thirty kilometres north of Budapest.

Expressing Repentance and Forgiveness in the Ukraine

In early February, volunteers from PF Ukraine delivered a video taped message of repentance and apology to the victim of one of the inmates with whom the ministry is working. In the initial contact, the volunteers encountered anger and pain from relatives of the victim who had sustained three serious knife wounds during the crime. One of the volunteers present said that there weren’t words to describe the atmosphere they encountered as the family both expressed hatred and showed signs of aggression.

News from Norway

PF Norway will graduate the participants from the course of the New Life programme designed to help prisoners with six to twelve months left on their sentence for re-entry. This represents the end of the three-year pilot project agreement with the prison administration.