Klasbak is the Flemish branch of the European Prison Education Association (EPEA). Klasbak is a network of organisations and individuals active in prison education in Flanders and  Brussels.

Vision

Society regards prisoners as full citizens and detention as a chance. Detention takes place in a stimulating environment with an innovative and sustainable learning culture. The detained person has a central position in this.

Mission

Prison education is our starting point to:

  • initiate research
  • create vision and concepts
  • develop products co-creatively
  • influence policy
  • sensitize
  • inform
General Policy Plan
  1. We develop an efficient internal organisation in order to operate sustainably.
    • We acquire financial resources
    • We enforce our administrative organisation
    • We optimize our internal and external communication
  2. We design and realize a network model to become an anchored networking organization.
    • We design a networking model and an operational model for Klasbak ambassadors
    • We realize sustainable partnerships by putting these models into practice
  3. We initiate and valorize research on prison education to improve policy and practice further.
    • We initiate innovative research on prison education
    • We disseminate and valorize research on prison education
  4. We develop clear visions and concepts on prison education to innovate and stimulate policy and practice.
    • We develop a basic vision on prison education
    • We develop thematic visions and concepts on prison education
    • We communicate directly about the developed vision and concepts to give Klasbak an identity
  5. We influence policy of governments and institutions to realize structural improvements of prison education.
    • We map our policy network and put prison education on the political agenda
    • We advise policy makers and politician and are asked for advice
  6. We sensitize society to bring attention to the topic of prison education.
    • We sensitize within prison walls on prison education
    • We sensitize without prison walls on prison education
Policy plan 2021-2023

Klasbak was founded in 2012 as an informal network of organizations and people involved in education in prisons. In November 2015, Klasbak was recognized as the Flemish branch of the European Prison Education Association (EPEA).

In 2021, Klasbak took up the challenge to draw up a new policy plan. A plan in which they indicate how they want to work together on learning in prison in the coming years. Klasbak is primarily a network organization. It is therefore logical that this entire policy plan has its roots in their network. Since the spring of 2020, they have brought teachers, trainers, educational organizations, correctional officers, prison administrators, scientists, policymakers and government services together to build up their “impact chain”.

Klasbak is a network that works on a society in which:

  • A prisoner is seen as a full citizen.
  • Society invests in the recovery and reintegration of prisoners.
  • The detention environment is a learning environment.
  • A prisoner can put together a targeted and meaningful learning pathway that offers perspective, with a view to recovery and reintegration.

Klasbak wants to contribute to the following challenges: the prison as a “learning” environment, the bridge inside outside, participation and digitization.

  • The learning prison
    Klasbak strives for the prison context to be a learning environment. Not only for the inmates, but also for those who work there. The inmate is stimulated to learn in various ways, formally and informally.
  • Bridge inside outside
    Klasbak emphasizes reintegration. From day one of the detention, a inmate must be given the help and opportunities to prepare for a return to society. Learning is an important part of this.
  • Digitization
    We live in a digital society. We do everything online and we do it every day, but in Belgian prisons there is no internet access for inmates. This makes good preparation for the outside world and learning in detention more difficult.
  • Participatory prisons
    In the coming policy period, Klasbak aims to develop a concrete participatory process into a “participatory prison” in which the penitentiary security staff will be explicitly assigned a place. Klasbak plans to test this in 2 prisons to get concrete experiences and export them.
Members of the board

Chairperson: Liesbeth De Donder Liesbeth.De.Donder@vub.be
Secretary: Inge Van Acker inge.van.acker@vocvo.be
Liaison Persons: Marleen Strubbe marleen.strubbe@vocvo.be and Lut Lippeveld Lut.lippeveld@deoranjerie.be
Coordinator: Bieke Deloof, bieke@klasbak.net

Home Page & Documents

https://www.klasbak.net/

Klasbak beleidsplan 2021Download