Women Supporting Women: The power of peer support groups in A4, SPS (PID187)

2.30pm – 3pm EDT, 4 September 2024 ‐ 30 mins

Workshop Session

This presentation explores the use of gender-responsive approaches and peer support groups to address the needs of women offenders in Singapore. In the women’s correctional institution, there are support groups for mothers as well as for women undergoing grief and losses. Uncover the potential for transformation within our peer-led Grief Support Group, where women are empowered to self-facilitate learning circles. Join us as we share skill-building strategies to enhance participants self-efficacy and benefit from peer led sessions.

Tailored for female inmates who experienced the loss of loved ones such as pregnancy loss, this initiative also references the trauma-informed and strengths-based approaches that are grounded in gender-responsive principles. Experience the positive feedback from participants and learn how our approach fosters emotional healing, improved self-regulation, and support-seeking behaviours. Be part of our journey as we share how we navigate challenges while striving to respond to the specific needs of the women offender population and promote a culture of empowering offenders to take control of their rehabilitation.

Speakers

Xin En Chang

Senior Correctional Rehabilitation Specialist, Singapore Prison Service

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Nehal Janakraj

Senior Correctional Unit Officer, Singapore Prison Service

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Xin En Chang

Senior Correctional Rehabilitation Specialist, Singapore Prison Service

Ms Chang Xin En is a Senior Correctional Rehabilitation Specialist with the Singapore Prison Service, bringing nine years of experience in the correctional setting. With an Honours Degree in Social Work and a Master of Counselling, she has facilitated numerous groups and delivered 11 Psychology-based Correctional Programmes across her career, equipping her with invaluable insights into the unique needs of incarcerated populations. Notably, Ms Xin En is seasoned in delivering gender-responsive interventions, adept at addressing the specific needs of both male and female offenders. As a trusted coach and trainer, she actively fosters the development of groupwork facilitation skills and gender-responsive approaches among fellow officers, new specialists, and rehabilitation partners. Her passion for people development also underscores her support for peer-led initiatives such as the grief support group.

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Nehal Janakraj

Senior Correctional Unit Officer, Singapore Prison Service

Miss Nehal Janakraj holds the position of a Senior Correctional Unit Officer at the Singapore Prison Service. As a uniformed officer with a background in Psychology, she possesses a range of vital skills to her role, including tactical and rehabilitation competencies essential in a correctional environment. Currently, Miss Nehal is part of the Drug Task Force (DTF) team in an all-female Correctional Unit which oversees the safety, discipline, and rehabilitation of drug offenders. Miss Nehal utilises gender-responsive perspectives in empowering female offenders to break the cycle of offending and guide them towards a pro-social life.