Job-seeking support for former inmates on the way

Inmates often face problems in finding employment after serving time, yet, despite this reality, society expects them to rehabilitate and lead law-abiding lives.

But how is this possible when they are all too often turned down by prospective employers?

The Institute of Forensic Studies at the University of Malta together with the Corradino Correctional Facility (CCF) are working on an EU-funded project aimed at helping inmates find employment once they are released from prison.

Together with representatives from Italy, Lithuania and Germany, Malta forms part of the Phoenix (Preparing and Handling Opportunities for Employment: saying No to Isolation and Xenophobia) project that falls under the EU's Grundtvig programme.

This project aims to help disadvantaged members of society, who have difficulties in securing a job, by teaching them new skills and empowering them to look for a job.

In the case of Malta, the targeted disadvantaged group consists of inmates. Other countries have targeted women, immigrants and people aged over 40 who are seeking employment.

The project took off last year with a meeting in Lithuania during which several technicalities were ironed out. There, country representatives agreed that they would administer a tailor-made questionnaire to 100 members of each target group and, based on the outcome of the questionnaire, they would hold a course for 15 members of each group.

Last month the country representatives met in Malta. The final adjustments to the questionnaire were made, a concrete action plan was agreed upon and a planned website was finalised. Through this site (xoomer.alice.it/socrates-phoenix/) the public can follow the progress of the project.

Project coordinator for Malta Sandra Scicluna, from the Institute of Forensic Studies, explained that through the administration of the questionnaire the problems that the target group mainly encounter when seeking employment will be identified.

She explained how, in the case of Malta, the 100 questionnaires will be administered to inmates by July 2007 and, after the data is analysed, 15 inmates will be given the opportunity to attend a course that will help prepare them to find a job. The content of this course will depend on the outcome of the questionnaire.

The project comes to an end in July 2009 with a final conference.

"Malta hopes that this project will help ex-inmates to emerge from the ashes of their old criminal life, into a new, fruitful one. It is hoped that this project will not only serve to create a tool that can assist ex-inmates to find work, but also make employers aware of the plight of certain people," Dr Scicluna said.