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Liberate Skills

Join Us

Welcome to the LiberateSkills Pact for Skills, an initiative dedicated to enhancing the professional development and training of individuals working within the correctional justice system. As a key component of the broader European Union's Pact for Skills, our mission is to foster a culture of continuous learning and skill enhancement tailored to the unique needs of correctional professionals.

The European Union's Pact for Skills is a central part of the European Skills Agenda, aiming to mobilize public and private entities to collectively support upskilling and reskilling efforts across various sectors. Our LiberateSkills pact aligns with this vision by focusing on the correctional environment, addressing the critical need for specialized training and educational resources.

Through collaborative efforts with educational institutions, correctional facilities, and community organizations, the LiberateSkills pact strives to develop comprehensive training programs, support innovative research in correctional pedagogy, and create a supportive network for professionals. By joining forces with the EU's overarching initiative, we are committed to making a significant impact on the professional development landscape within the correctional system, ultimately contributing to a more skilled and adaptable workforce.

Join us in our mission to enhance skills, foster professional growth, and drive positive change in the correctional justice sector. Together, we can build a future where every professional is equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in their roles and support the rehabilitation and reintegration of individuals within the justice system.

Being a member of the Pact does not have any financial obligation; it is a voluntary process. But each Pact member is eligible to be part of restricted proposals we will develop.

Liberate Skills

Our Members

The success of LiberateSkills is rooted in the strength and diversity of our partnerships. Our collaborative network spans various sectors and expertise, ensuring a comprehensive approach to addressing the needs of the correctional ecosystem. Our partners include:

Prison administrations and public authorithies

Prison administrations and public authorithies, both at national and regional levels, working closely with us to implement practical training programmes tailored to the specific needs of their staff.

Civil society organisations

Civil society organisations, such as NGOs and faith-based groups, provide invaluable support services to incarcerated individuals, advocating for their rights and contributing expertise in areas like trauma-informed care and social-emotional learning.

Service-providing companies

Service-providing companies operating within correctional settings, including those in healthcare, security, and education, contribute their expertise and resources to enhance the well-being of both incarcerated individuals and staff.

VET and Adult Education providers

Vocational education and training (VET) providers offer practical, competencies-based training programmes that equip correctional staff with the essential competencies for their roles from a pedagogy and education perspective.

Higher education institutions

Higher education institutions (HEIs), including universities and research organisations, bring research expertise, pedagogical frameworks, and access to academic resources, ensuring high-quality training programmes grounded in evidence-based practices.

Social partners

Social partners, particularly trade unions representing correctional staff, advocate for fair working conditions, professional development opportunities, and their members' well-being.

People with Lived Experiences

People with lived experiences provide invaluable insights into their needs and challenges, shaping the design of effective training programmes and educational initiatives

International organisations

International organisations, like United Nationa through UNITAR Division, provide valuable frameworks, funding, and policy support for our initiatives, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing at a European level and beyond

Liberate Skills

Stakeholder Network

Name
Type of stakeholder
Country
Access to Justice Foundation Non-governmental or civil society organisation Bulgaria
ADMINISTRATIA NATIONALA A PENITENCIARELOR Public authority (local, regional or national) Romania
Aproximar Social Solidarity Cooperative Portugal
ASOCIACIÓN PROFESIONAL DE FUNCIONARIOS DE PRISIONES (APFP) Large employer (more than 250 employees) Spain
Athens Lifelong Learning Institute Training provider Greece
Bistrița Prison Public authority (local, regional or national) Romania
BrainLog Representative of an industrial cluster (member of a groups of specialised enterprises, often SMEs, and other related supporting actors in a location that cooperate closely) Denmark
CEIPES Non-governmental or civil society organisation Italy
Centar za edukaciju, medijaciju i podršku razvoju pojedinca i porodice- ANIMUS- Kraljevo Non-governmental or civil society organisation Serbia
Center za izobraževanje in kulturo Trebnje Training provider Slovenia
Centro Studi Opera Don Calabria Research institution Italy
Danish Prison Officers Union Employer’s organisation (social partner) Denmark
DBH - Fachverband für Soziale Arbeit, Strafrecht und Kriminalpolitik e.V. Non-governmental or civil society organisation Germany
Dhoma Kombetare e Avokatise Chamber of commerce, trade and crafts Albania
Direção Geral de Reinserção e Serviços Prisionais (Directorate-General of Reintegration and Prison Services) Public authority (local, regional or national) Portugal
Drejtoria e Pergjithshme e Burgjeve (General Directorate of Prisons) Large employer (more than 250 employees) Albania
Egas Moniz School of Health & Science Research institution Portugal
Ege University Institute on Drug Abuse, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science Research institution Turkey
European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training Training provider Austria;Albania;Belgium;Bulgaria;Cyprus;France;Germany;Greece;Hungary;Italy;Lithuania;Malta;Netherlands;Poland;Portugal;Romania;Slovakia;Slovenia;Spain;Turkey;Bosnia and Herzegovina;Ukraine
Eurosuccess Consulting Micro, small or medium employer (up to 249 employees) Cyprus
EUTHRIVE IMPRESA SOCIALE SRL Micro, small or medium employer (up to 249 employees) Italy
Federation of Correctional Personnel Unions in Greece Trade union (social partner) Greece
Gherla Penitentiary Public authority (local, regional or national) Romania
IASIS Non-governmental or civil society organisation Greece
Idee in Fuga Società Cooperativa Non-governmental or civil society organisation Italy
IEKEP- INSTITUTE OF TRAINING AND VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE Training provider Greece
INSTITUTO IKIGAI ASOCIACION ESPAÑOLA PARA EL EMPRENDIMIENTO Y EL DESARROLLO PERSONAL Y PROFESIONAL Non-governmental or civil society organisation Spain
Interchange Non-Profit gUG Non-governmental or civil society organisation Germany
Internal Control Service in Prison Systems of Albania Public authority (local, regional or national) Albania
ISTITUTO OMNICOMPRENSIVO IPSIA-CPIA "Sandro Pertini" TERNI - TR Training provider Italy
Istituto professionale di stato per i servizi alberghieri della ristorazione e turistici IPSEOASC G. De Carolis Training provider Italy
KENTRO ENIMEROSIS KAI THERAPEIAS EXARTIMENON ATOMON KENTHEA LIMITED Non-governmental or civil society organisation Cyprus
Lithuanian Prison Service Public authority (local, regional or national) Lithuania
Luarasi University Research institution Albania
MAGNETAR Micro, small or medium employer (up to 249 employees) Cyprus
National Administration of Penitentiaries Public authority (local, regional or national) Moldova
National Probation Directorate Public authority (local, regional or national) Romania
Nekser Non-governmental or civil society organisation Lithuania
NVO Crnogorska ISKRA Non-governmental or civil society organisation Montenegro
Odyssea Non-governmental or civil society organisation Greece
Open Consorzio Non-governmental or civil society organisation Italy
Penitenciarul Arad Public authority (local, regional or national) Romania
PENITENCIARUL TIMISOARA Employer’s organisation (social partner) Romania
PHÖNIX - Training for Life Non-governmental or civil society organisation Austria
Pivotbrigade Kft, Training provider Hungary
Prison of Lovech Public authority (local, regional or national) Bulgaria
Prisoners' Rights Protection Cyprus Non-governmental or civil society organisation Cyprus
Qualificalia Analytics Micro, small or medium employer (up to 249 employees) Spain
Qualify Just IT (Innovative Prison Systems) Micro, small or medium employer (up to 249 employees) Portugal
RESCALED Non-governmental or civil society organisation Belgium
Richtungswechsel Non-governmental or civil society organisation Austria
Scoala Profesionala Speciala Buzias Training provider Romania
Senatorin für Justiz und Verfassung Bremen/Germany (Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Bremen/Germany) Large employer (more than 250 employees) Germany
Sindicatul National al Politistilor de Penitenciare Trade union (social partner) Romania
STABILITAS Skopje Non-governmental or civil society organisation North Macedonia
The European Forum of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (EfVET) Non-governmental or civil society organisation Albania; Belgium; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Iceland; Ireland; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Malta; Montenegro; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; North Macedonia; Romania; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Turkey; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Moldova; Ukraine
UCL University College, Denmark Research institution Denmark
Umbria Training Center APS Training provider Italy
United Nations Institute for Training and Research Training provider Germany;Other
Universidad de Valladolid Research institution Spain
University of East Sarajevo Research institution Bosnia and Herzegovina
University of the Aegean Training provider Greece
Universität für Weiterbildung Krems Training provider Austria
Volonté Czech / LiberateSkills Non-governmental or civil society organisation Czech Republic
ȘCOALA NAȚIONALĂ DE POLIȚIE PENITENCIARĂ „CONSTANTIN BRÂNCOVEANU” TÂRGU OCNA Training provider Romania

Liberate Skills

Values and Rules of Engagement

LiberateSkills is a European skills ecosystem built on trust, co-ownership and professional integrity. The following values and rules define how we work together, what we stand for, and what we do not accept. They are not symbolic statements. They are the conditions that make this ecosystem possible.

1. Practitioner-led, ecosystem-owned

LiberateSkills is grounded in the lived experience of professionals working across complex public-service environments. It is not designed by external observers, nor owned by a single organisation. All members are considered co-owners of the ecosystem, contributing knowledge, shaping priorities and sharing responsibility for its evolution. Decision-making, learning and agenda-setting are guided by those who do the work, not only by those who regulate or study it.

2. Dignity-first, rights-based approach

LiberateSkills operates from a clear ethical position:

  • Skills development must respect human dignity, fundamental rights and professional integrity.
  • We reject narratives that frame people in detention, supervision or transition through deficit, stigma or risk alone.
  • We also reject approaches that reduce professionals to instruments of control without recognising the relational, ethical and emotional dimensions of their work.
  • Language is treated as a policy instrument, not a neutral choice.

3. Co-production, not extraction

LiberateSkills is a space for shared construction, not for extracting stories, data or “good practices” for external use without reciprocity. Participation implies:

  • mutual learning
  • transparency of intent,
  • and respect for the limits of what can and should be shared.

4. Ecosystem logic over sector silos

LiberateSkills does not operate within a single sector.

We recognise that skills relevant to complex public services emerge across institutional and sectoral boundaries, including justice, health, education, social services, employment, social economy and local administration.

Members are invited not because they “fit a category”, but because they contribute to real outcomes within the ecosystem.

5. No instrumentalisation of skills

Skills within LiberateSkills are not treated as tools for punitive agendas, cost-cutting alone, or reputational gain. Skills are understood as collective capacities, embedded in organisations, teams and systems. We do not support:

  • the instrumental use of skills to legitimise harmful practices,
  • skills frameworks disconnected from professional realities,
  • or approaches that shift responsibility onto individuals without addressing systemic constraints.

6. Transparency and responsibility

LiberateSkills values honest positioning over formal alignment. Disagreement is acceptable; misrepresentation is not.

Members are expected to be transparent about:

  • their role in the ecosystem,
  • their interests in participating,
  • and the limits of their mandate.

7. Learning-oriented, not performative

LiberateSkills values honest positioning over formal alignment. Disagreement is acceptable; misrepresentation is not.

Members are expected to be transparent about:

  • their role in the ecosystem,
  • their interests in participating,
  • and the limits of their mandate.

8. What LiberateSkills is not

To avoid misunderstanding, LiberateSkills is:

  • not a lobbying organisation,
  • not a project consortium,
  • not a training provider,
  • not a substitute for public authorities,
  • not a branding or dissemination network.

It is a shared skills infrastructure, designed to support long-term professionalisation and workforce sustainability.

9. Why this matters now

This initiative is built on the conviction that no single organisation can carry this complexity alone, and that sustainable solutions must be co-created by those who live it every day.

  • LiberateSkills exists because the ecosystems we work in are under strain.
  • Roles are expanding.
  • Pressure is increasing.
  • Attractiveness is declining.
  • And too often, skills frameworks lag behind reality.

Liberate Skills

A Shared Commitment

By joining LiberateSkills, members commit to these values and rules - not as a formality, but as the foundation of a trusted European skills ecosystem.