The German RESIZE online DACUM workshop on curriculum development for a modern, human-centered prison system will take place on November 19th.

Bild: KI generiert

The workshop is part of the European project RESIZE. The project is coordinated by Interchange, with Rhianon Williams as Managing Director. From 2025 to 2029, a total of 25 partner organizations from 15 European countries are collaborating on this project to systematically identify, structure, and develop competencies in the prison system. As the project is one of eight EU Blueprint Alliances projects, the national results will be directly integrated into Europe-wide competency and curriculum structures.

The upcoming workshop aims to map the actual tasks, requirements, and working realities within the German justice ecosystem. Practitioners from various areas of the justice system will jointly identify key tasks of modern work in the prison system, break these down into sub-tasks, and define the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources. The methodology follows the DACUM approach, which is based on the expertise of the participants and focuses on their professional practice. The results from Germany will then be combined with those from 14 other EU countries and will form an essential basis for the planned European Competence Index for Prison Skills (ESI-CC). This index is expected to be completed by 2026 and will contribute in the long term to harmonizing qualification profiles, training, and recognition procedures across Europe.

My close and trusting collaboration with Rhianon Williams, the Managing Director of Interchange, plays a central role in the preparation and execution of the workshop. She ensures that the German contribution is well integrated and clearly linked to the overarching project goals. Her experience in European development work and her overview of the processes within the overall project guarantee a consistent connection between the national results and the European framework. We will conduct the workshop for the German focus group jointly. Many experts from various fields who work in or with the justice system have already been invited. These include, among others, correctional officers, professionals from psychosocial or therapeutic services, probation officers, medical and nursing professionals, management staff, education and training experts, and representatives from NGOs.

Other individuals from these professional groups who are interested in participating are welcome to contact me or Rhianon Williams at www.inter-change.com . Every perspective is important, as only through the involvement of practitioners can a realistic and comprehensive picture of the tasks and competencies within the justice system be created.

With this workshop, Germany is making a significant contribution to the further development of a Europe-wide harmonized competence model. The active participation of local professionals is crucial to ensure that this model reflects both the diversity of working realities and the requirements of a modern, humane correctional system.