Comitato Territoriale

Cirie Settimo Chivasso

SPIRITS

 

Project Name: SPIRITS – Skills Improvement of Prison Inmates through Sport

Summary SPIRITS is a 30-month Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership in Adult Education focused on using sport as a tool for rehabilitation and social reintegration of prison inmates. The project addresses the widespread lack of psycho-educational resources for prisoners by training sport instructors and educators in methodologies that foster self-discipline, emotional awareness, and social skills. It combines theoretical frameworks with hands-on practices, partner-led pilot activities, and case studies to create a comprehensive European manual for prison sport education.

Main Objectives

  • Develop and share good practices in using sport as a rehabilitation tool in prisons
  • Train sport instructors and educators in psycho-social methods applicable to detention contexts
  • Foster life skills, emotional control, and reintegration capacity in inmates
  • Create open-access training materials in multiple European languages
  • Raise public awareness on the value of rehabilitation through sport and education
  • Build a network of organizations promoting humane and inclusive correctional strategies

Target Groups

  • Sport instructors and educators working in prison environments
  • NGOs and civil society operators involved in rehabilitation services
  • Prison staff and volunteers
  • Prison inmates as indirect beneficiaries
  • Public institutions and local authorities seeking inclusive correctional models

Key Activities

  • Creation of a multilingual good practice manual with four sections:
    1. Project introduction
    2. Theoretical foundations (criminology, penitentiary law, rehabilitation systems)
    3. Practical rehabilitation methods (e.g. yoga, physical activity, sport-based pedagogy)
    4. Case studies and real-life examples from partner organizations
  • Training of 60+ sport professionals in 4 EU countries on how to use sport in prisons
  • Transnational roundtables in Italy, Greece and Bulgaria to share experiences
  • Local press conferences and outreach events to engage the wider public
  • Creation of e-learning content for trainers and volunteers
  • Experimental activities inside partner prisons: yoga sessions, moral dilemma groups, inclusive tournaments

Project Partners

  • UISP Ciriè Settimo Chivasso (Italy) – Lead partner
  • UISP Alessandria (Italy) – Technical implementation
  • Courage Foundation (Bulgaria) – Rehabilitation practices and boxing tournaments
  • Association Sport for All Suceava (Romania) – Education and reintegration support
  • Freedom Gate Greece – Training methodology and pedagogical yoga

Implementation Period

  • Start: September 2018
  • End: April 2021
  • Activities extended and sustained beyond project closure through partner efforts
  • Central to the project were workshops and roundtables, both local and international. More than 60 professionals — trainers, educators, and volunteers — were trained to use sport not only as physical activity, but as a teaching method.

Funding & Support

  • Co-funded by the European Union under Erasmus+ KA2 Strategic Partnerships in Adult Education
  • Endorsed by national prison administrations, justice ministries, municipalities, and civil society networks
  • Resources available in Italian, English, Bulgarian, Romanian, and Greek

Legacy & Impact SPIRITS produced one of Europe’s most complete manuals on sport-based prison rehabilitation. It offers replicable tools to train prison staff, design inclusive sport sessions, and reinforce inmates’ dignity and self-determination. Activities continue in partner prisons post-project, and the manual remains in use for training, awareness campaigns, and policy advocacy. SPIRITS sets a benchmark for humane correctional models and the transformative power of movement and sport.