Urban Games as a Tool for Enhancing Literacy Skills Among Prisoners
The project’s aim was to strengthen prisoners’ literacy skills by creating urban games designed to benefit local communities.
The Erasmus+ program offers Small Scale Partnership Projects (KA210) targeting less experienced institutions. These projects aim to broaden access to the program and enable smaller entities to participate in international initiatives focused on education.
One such partnership was the project titled “Urban Games as a Tool to Strengthen Literacy Skills Among Prisoners.” This initiative involved three organizations:
- Busola, an association for the education of socially excluded individuals from Poland, serving as the project coordinator.
- Centro de Educación de Personas Adultas Santa Cruz de Tenerife, a penitentiary education center in Tenerife, as a project partner.
- Antalya L-Type Closed Penal Institution in Turkey, as a project partner.
The primary objective was to enhance the literacy skills of prisoners by engaging them in the creation of urban games. Participating inmates attended a series of workshops that equipped them with various skills and tools necessary for achieving the project’s ultimate goal: designing and developing several urban games that could later serve local communities.
The workshops covered topics such as local history, creative writing, calligraphy, rhyme and rap creation, urban game design, digital image processing, and creating illustrations.
The urban games will soon be made available in digital format on the websites of the participating institutions, allowing anyone interested to download and play them free of charge. In doing so, a broader audience will have the chance to learn about the histories, anecdotes, and legends connected to the cities involved in the project.
The project spanned 20 months, running from May 1, 2022, to December 31, 2023. It is considered a resounding success. Beneficiaries—prisoners who participated in the educational workshops—significantly improved their skills in literacy and other areas covered during the sessions. For many, the workshops offered a unique opportunity to broaden their horizons, such as through learning about local historical curiosities.
The partnering organizations also benefited by strengthening their positions as educational institutions and enriching their resources, knowledge, and experience. The international collaboration created a platform for sharing best practices and innovative approaches. On an institutional level, the project provided additional educational opportunities for prisoners, expanding the scope of rehabilitative efforts in the participating penitentiaries. These opportunities, which are not typically available to inmates, were designed to enhance their skills and mental capacities, ultimately aiming to reduce recidivism.
The project had a profoundly positive impact on the organizers. It facilitated an exchange of best practices among the partner institutions, particularly concerning tools and methods for improving literacy among prisoners. The collaboration fostered new connections, with each partner sharing their expertise during on-site meetings. The exchange of ideas has also laid the groundwork for potential future collaborations on European projects (KA2 or KA1).
In summary, the project had a lasting positive impact on all parties involved. Its outcomes underscore not only the success of the initiative but also the value of collaboration and commitment among participants and partners.
We strongly encourage exploring the opportunities offered by the Erasmus+ program and engaging in similar projects. Such initiatives exemplify the concept of a win-win scenario, where everyone stands to benefit, and no one loses.
Hubert Skrzynski
