EPEA Norway FOKO

History:

1982 -1984: 3 people get together and make the first attempt to form a national organisation. Lack of funding and interest – the organisation dies.

1990: The Council of Europe publishes recommendations for Prison Education. This document is translated into Norwegian and sent to all prison schools and prisons.

1992: Norwegian Ministry of Education recommends improving Prison Education

1993: EPEA is formally established

1995: Another attempt is made to establish a national Norwegian organisation: 6 people get together. A new FOKO is established with 50-60 members (out of some 240 fulltime / part-time teachers in Norway).

2003: Norway arranged the 9th EPEA Conference

Members 2018:

Aprox. 330 members.  Members are Teaching Staff, Prison Staff, Probation Service Staff, Education Administrators, workers in the social welfare system, researchers  and others. There are aprox 400 teachers working fulltime or part-time in Norwegian prison system.

Website:

www.epea.no

Activities:

  • An annual conference every autumn (aprox 280 participants)
  • A closed facebook group
  • Scholarships for members
  • Political contacts
  • Lobbying
  • Media contacts

Steering committee 2018-19:

Janne Offerdal, Chair

Paal Breivik, secretary

Wenche Stenersen, treasurer

Lise Olafsen

Roy Høgberget

Pål Endresplass

Leif Einar Øverland