Dissemination of restorative justice ideas in the law enforcement and penitentiary systems by the “Space Without Conflict” Charitable Foundation. Second publication.

Throughout the implementation of the project, not only were resocialisation workshops and discussions conducted to help adolescents choose a new path in life, but social support was also provided after their release: assistance in finding work, improving family relationships, counselling, and psycho-correctional discussions. Of the 24 adolescents released from the colony after completing the workshops, 18 continue to cooperate closely or maintain contact with the “Space Without Conflict” organisation. Only one of the 24 has reoffended. This is despite the fact that recidivism, according to official data, is 78 per cent on average among adolescents across Ukraine.

Furthermore, there are excellent results from an experiment involving the recruitment of young men released on parole to work as counsellors in summer camps for children with behavioural issues or children with special needs (in particular, those with Down syndrome). The results exceeded all expectations. Unlike in previous years, when representatives of children's services acted as counsellors – and children would run away, consume alcohol, and create various other problems – this year there was not a single escape, and the consumption of alcohol was prevented by the young counsellors.

The children were very sad when the camp ended and it was time to go home. Communication and friendship between the young counsellors and the children from the summer camp continue even after the camp has ended (visits to the shelter, at home, joint trips to the cinema and for ice cream).
Evidence of the high effectiveness of this work and its importance for the young men who took part can be found in the feedback and letters received from them.
State agencies were also involved in the implementation of the project (the Children's Affairs Department of the city administration provided partial funding for the summer camp where the counsellors were young men released from the Sambir Educational Colony who had completed our training and expressed a desire to qualify as ‘social workers’), as well as a non-monetary contribution from the Department of Sociology and Social Work of the National University “Lviv Polytechnic”.

1. Teachers from the department were involved in conducting lectures for minors at the Sambir Educational Colony;

2. A round table titled “Prospects for the Introduction of Distance Learning for Minors in Places of Detention” was held jointly;

3. An agreement was signed to create a branch of the Lviv Polytechnic preparatory department based at the Sambir colony.

The computer firm “SoftServe, Inc.” responded to our request to donate computers for installation at the Sambir Educational Colony for the purpose of distance learning for the residents. At this moment, one computer has been installed, with an agreement to donate five more in the future as opportunities arise.