From Prison to Peace

From Prison to Peace

Presented by Meghan McCray

Session 1

Visit from political ex-prisoners

What do we mean by “political ex-prisoners”?

• explore the terminology (i.e. political ex-prisoner
• KWL Charts
• Each One, Teach On
• Think, Pair, Share

Session 5

Session 2

The Reality of the Prison Experience

• "Silent Conversation"

Why did people get involved?

• Card Cluster and Zone of Relevance

• After the session have been completed schools are able to have political ex-prisoners visit for a panel discussion with students.
• Question and answer session
• “The whole purpose of this project and the key principle of this project is not to glorify armed conflict… I think that’s one of the ingredients that helps us get through to young people.” – Danny Murphy, former IRA prisoner.

Session 4

Session 3

Imagining the Prison Experience

• PMI Chart (plus, minus, interesting)

Reflecting on the Experience

• Role Play

Session 6

The Impact of the Prison Experience

• Short term and long term impact
• "Snowballing"
• "Consequence Wheel"

Session 9

Session 7

How Can I Play a Positive Role in My Community?

• Students participate in a community audit and issues ranking

What Positive Roles Have Political Ex-Prisoners Played in Our Community?

• Jigsawing

Session 8

Reflecting on the Role of Political Ex-Prisoners in Our Community

• Students reflect on what they learned
• Walking Debate

Four aims of “From Prison to Peace”

Young people participating in this program are asked to…

Four political ex-prisoners (L-R), David Sitt, Gerry Foster, Martin McKevvitt, and Danny Murphy, are welcomed by three students at Stangford Integrated College.

References

• An educational resource
• Targeted at students age 15-16 but is easily adapted for other age groups
• Provides young people with the opportunity to explore issues regarding conflict in Northern Ireland/North of Ireland
• Students are given the perspective of political ex-prisoners in the transition to peace
• Students are given the opportunity to engage directly with former political prisoners

• Prevent young people from getting involved in or returning to violence

• Demonstrate alternatives ways to handle conflict

• Present young people with alternative “bottom-up” perspectives on the conflict

• Provide young people with the opportunity to directly engage with those who were involved in the conflict

Centre for Effective Education. (n.d.). Queen's University Belfast.

Retrieved March 18, 2014, from http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/CentreforEffectiveEducation/Research/PrisontoPeace

From prison to peace. (2012). From Prison to Peace Partnership.

From prison to peace: Learning from the experience of political

ex-prisoners. (n.d.). . Retrieved March 18, 2014, from http://www.healingthroughremembering.org/events/detail/234

O'Neill, K. (2008). The stories they tell: Former prisoner

ex combatants on putting down their guns . Queen's University Belfast | QUEST. Retrieved April 1, 2014, from http://www.qub.ac.uk/quest

• Develop an understanding of the term “political ex-prisoner”
• Consider the factors which influenced individuals’ decisions to become involved in the conflict
• Explore the reality if the prison experience and its impact on political ex-prisoners, their families and their communities
• Become familiar with the post-conflict work of political ex-prisoners in conflict transformation and community development
• Determine how young people could make a positive contribution in their own communities

9 Session in total

• First three sessions
• Focuses on the circumstances that influenced individuals in their decision to become involved in the conflict.
• Next three sessions
• Focuses on the prison experience and its impact.
• Final three session
• Focuses on encouraging young people to learn from the positive contribution made by political ex-prisoners to conflict transformation and community development.
• Different methodologies are used throughout the different sessions