VOL Rodinu Project Successfully Completed: Three Years of Work for Families Behind Bars and on the Outside

The VOL Rodinu project (reg. no. CZ.03.02.02/00/22_017/0000254), funded by the European Social Fund Plus under the Employment Plus Operational Programme, was successfully completed on 31 December 2025.

The project ran for three years — from January 2023 to December 2025 — and focused on supporting families affected by imprisonment. Its goal was to develop a new programme aimed at supporting incarcerated parents and their children and families on the outside in addressing their family situation. The project built on VOLONTÉ's existing experience working with vulnerable families and children, international know-how, and the active involvement of partner organisations.

What We Achieved

Over the entire period of implementation, a total of 740 people were supported — significantly exceeding the originally planned minimum of 470:

• 415 parents (men and women) serving a custodial sentence

• 168 partners and parents of convicted persons living outside prison

• 100 children of incarcerated parents placed with biological families, in children's homes, or in foster care arrangements

• 23 juveniles who had committed serious criminal offences before the age of 18

• 34 prison staff members

How We Worked

Participants took part in workshops focused on family topics, individual interviews oriented towards family competencies, family counselling sessions, and work-related workshops. The project also included workshops on managing risks after release.

A highlight of the project were family days held in prisons — an opportunity for incarcerated parents to meet their children and families in a calm environment and share time together outside the everyday reality of serving a sentence.

Prison staff received training through a certified course on Working with Motivation with Child and Juvenile Clients, a Professional Seniority course, and an accredited training programme — The System of Care in the Area of Addictions in a Post-Penitentiary Context.

Throughout the implementation, we worked closely with key partners from the multidisciplinary network — CID, NCR, Czech prisons, ODPOD, children's homes, and other involved stakeholders.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all clients, partner organisations, prison staff, and colleagues who contributed to the implementation of this project. VOL Rodinu demonstrated that working with the family as a whole — not just with the convicted person — is meaningful and delivers results that exceed the original plan.

The VOL Rodinu project (reg. no. CZ.03.02.02/00/22_017/0000254) was co-funded by the European Social Fund Plus under the Employment Plus Operational Programme.