Blog VOLONTE

Jonáš Motyčka is behind the Správný start project and has been supporting young people for years as they leave children’s homes, educational/youth detention institutes, or foster care and move into independent living. In this interview, he explains what young people most often lack, why financial literacy matters, how the peer approach works, and why it pays to do things long-term and with continuity. Context and mission How would you describe in one sentence what Správný sta

VOLONTÉ has long been connecting practice, education and support for people who are at the beginning of a new life stage. One partnership that brings this approach to life in a very concrete way is our cooperation with Jonáš Motyčka and his project Správný start . Jonáš describes Správný start as a “transfer station” between a children’s home, a youth detention/educational institute, or foster care and everyday life —support that prepares a young person and then accompanies t

11 February 2026, Prague / Plzeň-Bory VOLONTÉ has long been supporting the employability of people serving prison sentences. One of the key activities is a retraining course in MAG welding, which we implement at Plzeň–Bory Prison as part of the project VOL Komplexní program zaměstnanosti (Comprehensive Employment Programme). Participants in the course gain not only technical knowledge, but also real work experience that they can build on after release. From vocational trainin

VOLONTÉ, in cooperation with the Prison Service of the Czech Republic, is implementing a project that helps low-qualified people serving a custodial sentence strengthen their work skills and prepare for a return to everyday life. The project combines counselling, retraining, and work placements, and it deliberately addresses employability, debt, and legal orientation. What the project delivers Workshops: Labour market Basics of law Family Financial literacy Employment, legal,

The Barber course at Všehrdy Prison came to life thanks to a combination of several key roles: VOLONTÉ , which runs the course; Všehrdy Prison , which supports its organisational delivery; and the duo Jonáš Motyčka (Správný start)  and Jakub Pokorný (Royal Barber) , who were behind the start of the cooperation and the training itself. We are publishing this joint interview as a look back at the pilot run of the course shortly before its culmination — on 20 January , five part

VOLONTÉ is developing the project VOL Without Invisible Victims (VOL Bez neviditelných obětí) , which connects work with imprisoned parents, their children and professionals. The aim is to strengthen parenting competences, mitigate the impact of imprisonment on children’s lives and create a safe space for meetings, education and practical support. What has been achieved (05–11/2025) Launch of community work in Rýnovice Prison – the group is led by Tina Chlupáčová and Květa Ja

At the end of the year, family meetings were held in the Rýnovice and Pardubice prisons, aimed at supporting contact between incarcerated parents and their children. The meetings were organized by the Prison Service of the Czech Republic in cooperation with VOLONTÉ. Rýnovice Prison In Rýnovice Prison, the traditional “We Are Family” meeting took place in the pre-Christmas period, attended by 11 fathers and 14 children. The programme included the fairy-tale performance Snow Wh

As of 1 January 2026, we are implementing the project VOL Between Two Worlds  (1 January 2026 – 31 December 2027). The project focuses on children living in children’s homes whose parents are serving a prison sentence. Its purpose is to introduce a new transferable programme that responds to the specific needs of these children and can be used in other facilities and regions as well. The project is based on the need for a systematic, professionally grounded approach to workin

VOLONTÉ, in cooperation with the Prison Service of the Czech Republic and the Men’s Open League (LOM), has launched a project focused on the prevention of violent behaviour and on strengthening the professional capacities of prison staff. The initial activity was an expert roundtable held on 3 November 2025 at the LOM premises in Prague–Holešovice. Roundtable at LOM (3 November 2025) The meeting was attended by educators, social workers, teachers and special-education teacher

As of 1 January 2026, we are implementing the VOL Connection  project (1 January 2026 – 31 December 2027). We focus on children of incarcerated parents and their families , who often need quick orientation in their situation and follow-up support. The project’s aim is to make help clearer, more accessible, and better connected  across services and institutions. A key part of the project is also to pilot a new way of connecting a child with a parent serving a prison sentence ,