AVP Ireland receives two-year grant from St. Stephen’s Green Trust
We are delighted to share that we have been awarded two-year funding from St Stephen’s Green Trust (SSGT) through their Family Matters programme.
The Family Matters programme has the following objectives:
- Family-centred approaches to rehabilitation and reintegration become normalised in the prison system, at the point of imprisonment, during the sentence and on release.
- The voice of prisoners and their families adds to the evidence base and understanding of the value of family-centred approaches to reintegration and maintaining family bonds.
- Government and state bodies are held accountable for reducing the harm of imprisonment to families.
With this two-year grant, we aim to take a structured, participatory approach to better understand and integrate the role of family relationships within our work. Through a phased process, we ensure that family-related impacts are not only captured but translated into long-term practice across our programme. Ultimately, we hope to improve the quality and relevance of our workshops, collaborate with other organisations supporting families of incarcerated people, and increase awareness of the important contribution that AVP can make to nurturing healthy family relationships.
With this funding, we aim to:
- Reflect on and document the impact of AVP on family relationships among both participants and facilitators. Over the years, many AVPers have shared that AVP workshops helped them reconnect with family members or strengthen existing relationships. This project will allow us to gather these stories systematically and understand the patterns behind them.
- Review and update two AVP workshop manuals focused on masculinities, gender, power, and privilege. One of these manuals – designed specifically for workshops in women’s prisons – was developed by AVP Ireland a couple of years ago and has been delivered several times in the Dóchas Centre and Limerick Women’s Prison. A literacy review to make both manuals more accessible will be included.
- Pilot an AVP workshop with family members of incarcerated people. While our work has traditionally focused on workshops in prisons, this pilot will allow us to build partnerships and begin offering workshops in community settings. It will also give family members a chance to understand the processes their loved ones participate in and support them in building a shared language, shared practices, and shared foundations for nonviolence and connection.
We are deeply grateful for the trust, support, and partnership of St Stephen’s Green Trust. Their partnership allows us to explore this important area of learning and growth, and we look forward to the insights and collaborations that will emerge over the next two years.
