An educational counselor is an addition to the current educational programs in prison. For a long time, group training courses have been offered in prisons in Flanders and Brussels, in cooperation with educational institutions. The type of training is determined by the specific educational needs of the inmates in that particular prison. Yet some inmates don’t find their needs in the courses offered.

An educational counselor starts with the wishes of the person in front of him. With an intense orientation, the client gains insight into its talents/ potential and can use them to map out its future. The Departments of Justice and Employment are also involved in this orientation phase. This will allow the educational counselor to draw up a plan that will improve the chances of successful reintegration. Depending on the course, it is not possible to complete certain modules (lab, internship,...) in prison. The counselor tries to achieve as much as possible within the detention period. If the client needs to continue its education after detention, the education counselor provides support post-release to the student, the school or the judicial assistant.