Australasian Corrections Education Association

Supporting ideas and values for education and training in correctional settings

ACEA provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and values pertaining to education and training programs provided in correctional settings and to people on corrections orders in the general community. ACEA also seeks to influence policy makers and other interested parties in developing effective education programs for people in correctional settings.

News Updates

Webinar

Welcome to our first webinar of the year: Innovative Solutions in Correctional Education and Employment: The Western Australian Model by Dr Fiona McGregor.

Thursday 29 February 2024 3pm NZST 1pm AEDT 12pm AEST

Your time zone here. | You can register here.

Abstract: Western Australia is, geographically, the single largest corrective services jurisdiction in the world. As such, it presents multiple challenges for delivery of education, employment and transitional services to a prisoner population spread throughout 17 prisons (and 1 privately run prison) and additional 7 work camps across 2.5 million square kilometres. Despite this, in the last 30 years, there has been considerable innovation in multiple areas of delivery. This webinar describes the Western Australian model of delivery, through its Education, Employment and Transitional Services (EETS) division, outlining the pathways for prisoner learners from assessment through to its national award-winning traineeships program and other new initiatives such as the Entry to General Education curriculum now owned by the Department of Justice WAโ€™s own RTO, ASETS and the Prisoner Employment Program (PEP). This webinar also describes our partnerships with employers and tertiary providers to enable wider access to education, training and employment pathways for people in custody.

Presenter bio: Dr Fiona McGregor is currently working as External Partnerships Coordinator for Education, Employment and Transitional Services (EETS) within the Department of Justice WA after completing her PhD which explored the relationship between engaging in adult basic skills learning in prison and desistance from crime, Fiona is passionate about the value prison education, training and employment bring to the desistance process and works to engage external partners to widen access to high quality learning, training and work experiences for people in custody in WA.

Fiona has over 30 yearsโ€™ experience in education (20 in prison education), originally as a secondary school English teacher and then a prison educator, manager, government adviser, consultant inspector and researcher. Initially specialising in juvenile and young adult male offender education in UK and Australian prisons, Fiona has developed a deep interest in women in prison and Indigenous Australians, who are the most incarcerated people on earth, and is committed to equity and inclusion.

When not at work, Fiona is generally an uber, feeding and banking service for 3 busy kids, their animals, and friends.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Ngฤ mihi nui,

Helen

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