Jail birds to become master trainers, provide mental support to inmates
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The prisons department will facilitate training of selected inmates of seven prisons in psychotherapy, counselling and sociology in a bid to mould them into master trainers so that their service can be used for providing mental support to other inmates.
The faculties of Kerala University Centre for Adult and Continuing Education and Extension will lead the classes that will commence this academic year.
The certificate course will be of maximum two-months duration and as per the current plan, the classes will be held in Poojappura, Kannur, Tavanur and Viyyur central prisons, Cheemeni and Nettukaltheri open prisons and Viyyur high-security prison.
Prison sources said the three topics - psychotherapy, counselling and sociology - will be banded together as a subject.
“The course will have 40 hours of theory sessions and 15 practical sessions, each spanning up to three hours. The prison officials will screen the inmates and based on their aptitude, ability and educational qualities, they will be selected for the course,” a source said.
Sources added that while selecting inmates for the course, preference will be given for those who are serving long prison terms. The remand prisoners and those who regularly go on parole and leave will be omitted as they may not be available to complete the full course. In each centre, 25 prisoners will be enrolled for the course at a time.
Sources said Rs 82,000 will have to be paid as fee for each student to the university and the amount will be fully provided by the government.
A prison officer said the objective is to churn out a bunch of master trainers from among the prisoners’ community.
“The prisoners are battling a lot of psychological issues that require constant attention. If there are people from the community itself, who are proficient in providing therapy to alleviate stress and provide mental support, then their service can be used efficiently. This is the most innovative project we have conceived so far for the prisoners. There are only a few states who are doing work like this,” said an officer.