Ten Women Serving Sentences at Světlá nad Sázavou Earn Qualification as Social Services Workers

On June 29, 2026, a ceremony was held at the Domov ve Zboží care home to award certificates to ten women from Světlá nad Sázavou Prison who successfully completed the qualification course for Social Services Workers. The course represented a successful pilot of an educational program designed to respond to current labour market needs.

The course was initiated at the suggestion of Monika Myšičková, Brig. Gen. and Director of Světlá nad Sázavou Prison. The graduates completed their practical training directly at Domov ve Zboží, where they became familiar with the day-to-day work of care staff and gained not only professional skills but also communication, empathy, and a responsible approach toward clients. VOLONTÉ thanks the director of the care home, Mgr. Jan Tourek, for his welcoming approach and for making the practical placement possible.

Certificates were presented to the graduates in person by Prison Director Monika Myšičková, Deputy Director General of the Prison Service of the Czech Republic Petr Červený, and Domov ve Zboží Director Mgr. Jan Tourek. In their remarks, they praised the diligence, responsible attitude, and determination of all participants, who successfully completed both the theoretical and practical parts of the course.

The professional qualification itself was provided by Akredika, o. p. s. Funding was secured through a combination of resources from the Havlíčkův Brod Labour Office and the VOL Comprehensive Employment Program project, implemented by VOLONTÉ under the Employment+ Operational Programme (reg. no. CZ.03.01.01/00/24_078/0005026).

Successfully completing the course represents an important step toward reintegration for the women serving sentences. The qualification opens up new employment opportunities for them after release — and results are already visible: two of the graduates have secured jobs at care homes in the area where they plan to live, allowing them to begin a new life outside of prison without the added burden of finding work or housing.

VOLONTÉ thanks all the partners without whom the project could not have taken place — Domov ve Zboží p. o., Akredika, o. p. s., and the Havlíčkův Brod Labour Office. VOLONTÉ intends to continue this good practice in future employment-focused projects funded by the ESF and supported by labour offices.