‘Halfway House’ – a step towards a new life

On 29 October, a working meeting took place between the management of the State Department of Ukraine for the Execution of Sentences (SDES) in the Kharkiv region and representatives of the charitable organisation ‘Convictus Ukraine’, dedicated to the implementation of the ‘Halfway House’ project.
Within the framework of the ‘Three-stage comprehensive programme for the reintegration into society of persons on probation and those released from places of detention’, it is planned to implement a project to create a social rehabilitation centre, the ‘Halfway House’, which will be located in the premises of a former hospital at the following address: Kharkiv region, Lozova district, village of Krasnopavlivka. This centre is intended for women who are being released from places of detention or are serving sentences not involving imprisonment, who have nowhere to live. They will stay in the ‘Halfway House’ for up to six months. Social workers, medical staff, psychologists, and lawyers will work with them, and the issue of the women's employment will be addressed.
On 29 October, the head of the regional administration of the SDES, Anatoliy Slipchenko, and the deputy head, Andriy Lapinskyi, visited the building of the future ‘Halfway House’ and familiarised themselves with the progress of the renovation work. Following this, a meeting took place between the management of the SDES in the Kharkiv region and representatives of ‘Convictus’ Bo Johansson, Esmer Gantelius, and other project staff. Issues of interaction between the partners at the regional level were discussed.
We remind you that ‘Convictus’ began its work in Ukraine in 2006. Representatives of 17 organisations and departments are involved in the implementation of this project. Among them are: the All-Ukrainian Charitable Organisation ‘Convictus Ukraine’, the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, the Ministries of Justice, Labour and Social Policy, and Healthcare of Ukraine, the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, the administration of the SDES in the Kharkiv region, and others.
The Agreement on cooperation and organisation of relationships between the Kharkiv Regional State Administration and the VBCO ‘Convictus Ukraine’ was concluded on 26 November 2009. On 14 December 2009, a Protocol on cooperation intentions was signed between the regional administration of the SDES and the VBCO ‘Convictus Ukraine’, the main element of which is the joint work with the staff of the Kachanivska Correctional Colony (No. 54) to select candidates for participation in the aforementioned project from among convicted women who are being released from the institution and need assistance in employment and finding accommodation.
The social rehabilitation centre is designed for 30 people. To date, one participant has already completed the reintegration course within the framework of the project. Currently, 4 women aged 18 to 55 are in the programme (2 from the Kharkiv region, 1 from the Odessa region, and 1 from the Kirovohrad region). Another 6 candidates have been prepared in the Kachanivska CC No. 54 for transfer to the Centre after their release.
The grand opening of the first stage of the ‘Halfway House’, designed for 15 people, is scheduled for 18 November 2010.

Photo by the author