Advancing Corrections Journal - Edition #6 - Innovation in Education - Voices from the Front Line (ACJ6-A014)

Article 14: The Duke Of Edinburgh’s International Award As Non-Formal Education For Young Offenders (ACJ6-A014)

Abstract

This paper examines the delivery of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award (the Award) in correctional facilities, and how non-formal education can improve operations and effectiveness regarding young offenders. The Award is a well-tested program that allows young people to challenge themselves and build their life skills. This can be of particular benefit to young offenders who often experience difficulties transitioning into adulthood and the more so in correctional facilities. The applied research and experiences discussed in the article are directly related to improved practices in terms of services, offender and staff wellbeing, and the correctional environment in general.

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Authors

Dr. Jon Eilenberg

Senior Researcher, National Children’s Bureau, England

Dr. Jon Eilenberg is a Senior Researcher at the National Children’s Bureau. He holds a Ph.D. in sociology, and his original research interest lies in the sociology of deviance and the social construction of criminality. Previously, he has worked as a teacher for both pre-school children and adolescents. He currently researches the experiences of children and young people in relation to areas like identity, poverty and justice. This research includes a particular focus on the experiences of children and young people affected by disabilities, low socio-economic status, gender inequality, ethnic minority status, immigration and criminal offending. To date, his research has led to a number of publications and conference presentations to a range of academic, professional and charity audiences. Jon’s interests also include the methodological challenges of power, participation and ethics regarding research with children and young people. In addition, he is keen on linking research with policy and practice through partnerships across organisations and sectors.

Amy Pearce

Research Officer, Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation, England

Amy Pearce BA (Hons) is a research officer at the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation, based in London. Amy moved to the research team when it was founded in January 2017. She manages large-scale international research projects and is learning about many facets of research within the non-profit sector. These include outcomes and impact measurement, social value research, and monitoring and evaluation research within quality assurance processes. Previously Amy has worked in the Europe, Mediterranean and Arab States Regional Office at the Foundation. This allowed her to gain knowledge of operations and volunteer communication and management, which is now useful to ensure research projects are designed and implemented in a manner appropriate for global Award’s stakeholder network. Amy completed her BA (hons) degree in Social Anthropology from Durham University, UK, in 2015. She took a keen focus on international development study and gender studies and continues to read these fields. Amy also has a keen interest in languages, studying French at A level, taking British Sign Language modules and more recently developing her Spanish abilities to a sufficient degree of fluency. Amy is also a Gold Award Holder.

Dr. Howard Williamson

Professor, University of South Wales

Dr. Howard Williamson CVO CBE FRSA FHEA is Professor of European Youth Policy at the University of South Wales in the United Kingdom. Previously he worked at the Universities of Oxford, Cardiff and Copenhagen and has held visiting positions in Hong Kong, Malta, Zagreb, Beijing, Rennes and Tehran. He is a nationally qualified youth worker and ran a youth centre for 25 years in parallel with his academic research that spanned issues such as youth crime, youth unemployment, vocational training, enterprise and entrepreneurship, substance misuse, homelessness, school curricula and youth work. He has advised many levels of governance on youth policy issues, from the Welsh and UK governments, the European Commission, the Council of Europe and the United Nations. He is a trustee of Grassroots – the Cardiff City Centre Youth Project, the European Forum Alpbach Foundation, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award for Young People. Howard Williamson writes prolifically, publishing not only academic books and journal articles but also columns for magazines and newspapers. His most recent work has been synthesizing ideas about youth policy in Europe and co-editing the six volumes of the History of Youth Work in Europe. Since 2002, he has been Organizational Secretary of the International Sociological Association Research Committee 34, the global network for the sociology of youth. He was also chair of the European Network of Youth Research Correspondents until 2008.

Advancing Corrections Journal - Edition #6 - Innovation in Education - Voices from the Front Line (ACJ6-A014)

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