Let's Learn Beekeeping

Project owner: Hrvatska Udruga Pčelara (HUP) Pčelinjak (Croatian Beekeepers Association)

Responsible person: Dražen Jerman

2023

Nominated

HR

Civil Society / Social Economy

What is it about?

The main project goal is to introduce inmates and prisoners with beekeeping activities. Projects are placed in prisons and jails in Croatia. Educational activities include beekeeping school, beehive placements where prisoners gain new knowlege and practical skills. Through this project participants will activlaly organize their free times. It has been scientifically proven that beekiping activities positively influence psychophysical conditions of participants engaged in such projects. Therefore, this project will contribute inmates' socialisation, humanisation, and return to civilization.

Challenge

The organisation of free time of the prisoners and development of social skills necessary upon release from prison.  

Idea

The concept behind Let's Learn Beekeeping is to provide education and training opportunities to prisoners, with the goal of helping them gain self-confidence and acquire new skills that can be used once they complete their sentence. A number of positive examples have already been obtained. 

Actors

Male and female prisoners and employees. After the completion of the project, employees can independently transfer knowledge to prisoners and thus organise work-occupational therapy.  

Impact

Let's Learn Beekeeping has succeeded beyond all expectations. The project has already resulted in a former prisoner who has become a beekeeper.  

Transfer

Projects of this type can be implemented all over the world in all prisons and penitentiaries that have conditions for keeping bees.

 

Photo © Dražen Jerman, Nikola Kezić