This week, the first lessons of the new mentor training programme are taking place in the Latvian Prison Administration. The new programme has been implemented with the support of Norway grants and representatives of the Norwegian correctional services who will also participate in its implementation and share their professional experience.
The Director General of the Latvian Prison Administration, Ilona Spure, emphasizes: “I believe that an effective penitentiary policy can be implemented only by qualified, professional and psychologically resilient staff, therefore one of our priorities is the development of goal-oriented staff. That is why we are not only working on the construction of the new Training Centre, but we have also created a new mentor training programme. In order to successfully transfer the knowledge of our experienced and professionally highly qualified practice managers, it is very important to learn the right tools and methods to transfer this knowledge and skills to the trainees.”
Within the framework of the new programme, mentors will improve the professional competencies necessary for conducting traineeship for the students of the Latvian Prison Administration Training Centre, who are acquiring the professional further education study programme “Prison Guard”.
As previously reported, a new training programme for mentors was developed as part of the Latvian Prison Administration's new Training Centre project to provide prison staff with education appropriate for modern sentence execution, as well as to promote the professional development of staff. Therefore, the aim of the project is not only to create a modern infrastructure for the training, but also to improve the Latvian correctional services personnel training content and methods, thus preparing employees to carry out modern sentence execution.
Due to the established restrictions to reduce the spread of Covid-19, the training of mentors will take place online.
Additional information:
In the new training program, mentors will learn different topics such as:
- Traineeship – a tool for effective acquisition of the educational program and development of professional skills.
- Feedback and its application.
- Mentor and student preparation for the first and subsequent meetings.
- Trust building and strengthening.
- Motivation. Self-motivation. Support. Cooperation.
- Strategy for achieving goals and objectives in the process of traineeship.
- Evaluation. Critical thinking. Decision-making.
Working together for a safe and inclusive Europe.
You can learn more about the Norway Grants 2014-2021 period programme by visiting www.norwaygrants.lv
The Latvian Prison Administration project "Establishment of Training centre infrastructure and model prison blocks for training opportunities in the Olaine prison territory" No. 1-6.4/2-2019 is implemented within the framework of the Norway Grants 2014-2021 period programme "Correctional Services".