An Educators Perspective

Supplementing Existing NZ Prison Education Programs with

Peace Education Programs

Background

The Issues 1.  What we offer the existing group of offenders. e.g.

better mental health care, better education, better job preparation, so reoffending reduces and offenders are better equipped with social tools to live productive lives.

2.  What preventative approach can we take so the prison population in NZ does not continue to increase.

2011 – 8,755 2016 – 9,798

Latest NZ Prison, housing 960 men cost $300 million.

Background on NZ

New Zealand Population 4.4 million people 30 million sheep

Known for Success On The

Rugby Field.

Go The All Blacks!

Things Not so Good Off The Rugby Field.

�  700,000 problem drinkers in NZ. (Sir Geoffrey Palmer 2010 report). 700,000 problem drinkers impacting on a minimum of four other people per family. A minimum of 2.4 million NZers affected by problem drinking.

�  25% of NZ children (approx. 270,000) defined as living in poverty.

�  Domestic Violence figures – worst statistics in the world. 80% not reported. Children present at 80% domestic violence events. Around 280 Police call outs every day.

Issues Facing New Zealanders

�  Mental Health Issues affect one in every six New Zealanders.

�  An estimated 580,000 adults have been diagnosed with a common mental disorder in their lives. Common disorder. e.g. depression or anxiety.

�  Second highest youth suicide rate of OECD countries.

�  Second highest rate of child abuse and death in OECD countries. NZ children and teenagers are 50% more likely to die from abuse than if they lived in Australia.

Issues Facing New Zealanders

�  Average income in NZ - $45,000 per year $865 p.w.

�  Average Auckland house (where high proportion of jobs are) price $847,000.

�  Average Auckland rent $509 per week.

�  Increased child poverty in Auckland in particular.

NZ Corrections Profile

�  18 Correctional Facilities – 3 Women’s, 15 Men’s

�  Number of NZ offenders in prison – approx. 10,000

�  Number of NZ women offenders – approx. 600

�  50% of offender population – Indigenous

�  Number of offenders predicted to rise in 2017 and beyond

My Reseach: most incarcerated group in Women’s Correctional Facilities in NZ?

�  Women from emotionally and financially disadvantaged backgrounds.

�  Women from disadvantaged Indigenous families who suffered trauma, poor attachment and maltreatment.

�  Women who did not complete a satisfactory education. Often in the group, described by Judith Howard from QUT as: “distressed and deliberately defiant” and therefore excluded from school.

Most incarcerated group in Women’s Correctional Facilities in NZ?

�  Women with learning difficulties from disadvantaged homes.

�  Women who were born to young indigenous single mothers.

�  Women from families where there was domestic violence and child abuse.

�  Women from disadvantage families with mental health issues and drug and alcohol abuse.

In Summary: Who is In prison? Women Who Did Not Get The support

They Needed In Their Early Years.

Women, who as children, would have been identified as needing professional help when they started their Pre-primary/Year One education, but did not get it.

Women, who as children, should have been proactively supported throughout their 14 years of NZ schooling but did not get it.

Children who came from chaotic, abusive childhoods.

What we know can assist disadvantaged

children to participate and succeed in school and not end up in prison.

*Humane, self-aware, competent teachers and school support officers *Early success at school – literacy & numeracy support. *Research based support programs for children with learning difficulties.

What we know can assist disadvantaged

children to participate and succeed in school and not end up in prison.

*Social work support (school based) for children in families identified as experiencing life challenges. Parent support. *Good nutrition – breakfast programs. School day organized well. *Early intervention and support for children with mental health and behavioral issues.

Why is this support not available?

The NZ government’s announcement

on Tuesday, 18th October 2016 that they

have allocated $1billion to the creation of 1800 more prison beds!

Recommendation 1

Increase the number of

high quality education programs

for NZ offenders, including peace education programs.

Recommendation 2

Increase the education and social support for all NZ children whose parent(s) is in prison.

AND Increase the education and social/emotional

support for Decile 1 schools in NZ. (Decile 1: 10% of NZ schools with the

highest proportion of students from low socio-economic communities.)

Recommendation 1 High Quality Offender Education

What does that look like? *The Arrowsmith Program - a cognitive strengthening program to helping those struggling with learning disabilities. *Innovative, researched based, Adult Literacy Programs

High Quality Offender Education

*Prison of Peace – curriculum of mediation training for offenders. (Laurel Kaufer)

*Parent effectiveness programs.

*Program in Positive Psychology and Wellbeing (Penn University Program).

High Quality Offender Education *Health and well-being programs focusing on nutrition and exercise.

*Building positive relationships programs.

*Mental health programs.

*Peace Education programs.

*Positive behaviour management programs.

$$$$$$$$$$$$

High quality offender education programs require increased $$ Money is available – 1 billion

dollars allocated last Tuesday! Common Sense Must Prevail

With Policy Decisions.

Peace Education

.

PEP does not rely on

NZ Government Funding.

TPRF Programs for the past 15 years have been funded by individual sponsors and in

NZ facilitated by Volunteers.

Education for Personal Peace - Where Does It Fit in NZ Corrections?

Since 2013 PEP has been facilitated in six of the eighteen NZ Correctional facilities.

It needs to be available to all offenders.

History of the Peace Education Program

�  A request to The Prem Rawat Foundation, for a Peace Education curriculum initiated by South Africa Corrections.

�  Team of four professionals, including myself, worked on the program development and it was ready to pilot in May 2012.

�  I piloted the program here in Brisbane with Diploma of Business students on 2012.

History of the Peace Education Program

�  Since 2012 PEP has been facilitated in 70 countries, and translated into 18 languages.

�  PEP is facilitated in a variety of settings – not just prisons.

�  Universities, aged care facilities, veteran organizations, corporate organizations and more offer the program.

International Statistics

PEP’s Worldwide 1 Jan 2016 – 8 August 2016

Other 487

Corrections 138

PEP approved for use in 241 Correctional Facilities in South Africa and all prisons in Ghana, West Africa

What Does PEP Comprise? Ten, one hour workshops

Content is theme base with time to listen and reflect, write in their workbooks and express.

Themes:

1.Peace 6. Understanding

2.Appreciation 7. Dignity

3.Inner Strength 8. Choice

4.Self-Awareness 9. Hope

5.Clarity 10.Contentment

What Participants Get:

�  A Workbook.

� An handout to read to accompany each of the ten workshops.

Educationally Sound �  Thematic content

�  Each session one hour in length

�  Cartoons with a message

�  Reflection time

�  Time built in for personal expressions

� Music

�  Each workshop follows a similar format

An Additional Resource

Book: Splitting the Arrow: Understanding The Business of life. By Prem Rawat.

Collection of stories each with a theme.

Good discussion resource.

Good literacy level – suitable for a wide audience.

PEP Pilot in Women’s Prison

Began in August 2015

Pilot in Arohata Women’s Prison now on our fourth program.

We have completed 32 weeks of Peace Education and some women are on their fourth program.

What Is Working?

The participants are coming back each week.

They report having a more positive perspective on life.

The women are now marketing the program themselves.

What Is Working?

What Is Working?

They are asking to continue the program when they get moved to another facility.

They report a greater understanding of the possibility of personal peace.

The program is provided free of charge to NZ Correctional Facilities.

What Is Working?

The program has been made simple to facilitate. Volunteers, once briefed can facilitate the program.

Participants are requesting further materials/links to the program content for their family members and friends.

What Is Working?

Encouraged by the pilot, two new Peace Education Programs are planned for the two other Women’s Prisons in New Zealand – one in Christchurch and one in Auckland.

The goal is for the 600 women offenders to be offered the program in 2017 and beyond.

What PEP Participants say? �  It’s helped my ways of thinking in my

everyday life. Like using my inner peace and humbling myself when I am in bad situations and moving on from it.

�  It’s good to know I have inner strength.

�  It taught me peace is a possibility because peace is inside me. I want to know peace.

What PEP Participants say?

�  I found that certain parts of the programme really hit home for me. I feel content and quite at peace since attending this programme.

� When I came to prison I was an angry person. I got an understanding about inner peace within myself and what it meant.

What PEP Participants say?

�  It helped me realize that everything I need to be happy I already have, I just need to choose to live the way I want to.

�  It taught me to be thankful for every day.

Research Underway - Measuring Effectiveness

Data is collected by PEP Facilitators worldwide. One report completed in June 2014 using qualitative feedback from over 300 participants. Available on www.tprf.org Further research planned to assess effectiveness and inform the development of further peace education programs. Dr Tony Rickards, Curtin University, has been assisting me with an evaluation proposal.

The Peace Education Program

*Available from The Prem Rawat Foundation. www.tprf.org

The Foundation is funded by individual sponsors worldwide.

*Available to all organisations

who want to use this education resource.

Inside Peace – The Documentary

Inside Peace follows the lives of offenders who have done the Peace Education Program in San

Antonio, Texas.

A Facilitators Guide is being developed.

If your organisation would like to have a screening of Inside Peace email:

insidepeaceaus@yahoo.com

Splitting The Arrow Understanding the

Business of Life

Can be purchased on Amazon.com

The book will be given to all

Offenders in New Zealand Correctional

Facilities who complete the

Peace Education Program

Thank You For Your Interest

Available to do presentations about the Peace Education Program

across NZ and Australia.