Courses and Education
In 2023, Spéire Nua organised a consortium of educators and peer mentors that were awarded contracts with the Irish Prison Services to deliver a range of adult education and training programmes across prison services throughout Ireland. Central to the consortium’s work is the Spéire Nua model, which stems from the process of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). This approach recognises and values learning acquired outside formal education settings. Individuals with criminal convictions engage with Spéire Nua to develop a Certificate of Commitment to Change through this process. This certificate recognises the positive transformations individuals have made in moving beyond their criminal past. Designed as a strengths-based model of disclosure, its aim is to reframe the narrative from negative to positive, offering reassurance to those who are open to creating opportunities for individuals with a criminal record.
Led by Damien Quinn, the Spéire Nua social enterprise has significantly advanced this alternative approach. It aids individuals with criminal convictions in transitioning away from a life of crime, reintegrating into society, and entering the labour market. The criminal justice system increasingly acknowledges the value of ‘lived experience’ as a vital tool for rehabilitation, reform, and guidance. This concept has found applications across various sectors, from prisons to probation services, with its core strength lying in its transformative potential to connect, guide, and inspire.
Spéire Nua has been instrumental in advocating for enhanced recognition and understanding of lived experience, profoundly influencing the prison system’s policies and practices. In collaboration with social enterprise Amicitia, they are developing a network of employers, educators, and peers to support individuals leaving prison. They provide a comprehensive service, informed by lived experience, aimed at reducing recidivism rates. The document on the link below outlines the training and educational
services that the consortium makes available to prisons. These programmes include motivational speakers who offer prisoners alternative perspectives on overcoming life’s challenges, especially post-release. Additionally, there are personal development
and life skills courses designed to help those in custody who are striving for change. These courses encourage participants to examine their habits, attitudes, and behaviours while equipping them with new skills for their lives after release.
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