Kayani Project hosted a workshop entitled “Start” on Thursday, October 21, in collaboration with Metle Metlak - a youth-based initiative that endeavors to facilitate the reintegration process of juveniles and young adults, namely following the end of their incarceration.
The workshop revolved around juveniles in conflict as well as the ways in which they face society after leaving Roumieh’s central prison, the largest and most notorious prison in Lebanon.
The session began by introducing the potential reasons due to which a juvenile might end up incarcerated. It tackled the life of these individuals during their time before, during, and after prison.
Additionally, the speakers shed light on the reintegration process that these juveniles are forced to undergo once they are granted their freedom and have to face society again. This discussion included the potential obstacles they might face during the aforementioned process. It stressed the importance of supporting these people to ensure that they can rejoin society with the least amount of difficulty and damage.
An interactive session was held towards the end of the workshop, whereby a scenario was imagined to encourage participants to interact with each other and have a clearer understanding of the issue.
The attendees were divided into two groups and a scenario of a young boy who had been released from prison was put forth. The first group exhibited full support towards the reintegration process, while the other group adopted an unwelcoming attitude and shunned the juvenile out.
This activity and the overall session helped fuel a discussion regarding all the possible ways in which a society can help juveniles get back on their feet. It emphasized how we, as a community, can collectively be more welcoming towards young people who have been released from prison. In turn, this would allow the latter to start a new page in their lives and let go of the lifestyle they once knew.