TMS Training/Development/Capacity Building in 2022

a) Four Counties Accredited Traveller Mediation Programme

January to December 2022 Actions

• Preparation and recruitment for the course took place over January and February 2022.
• The programme commenced in Cork on 14th April with 18 students enrolled on the programme.
• The programme was scheduled to take place for a full day every Thursday for 16-18 weeks in Cork.
• The course proceeded with a high level of engagement from participants and a good attendance rate.
• The MII accredited mediation programme was completed in in 18 weeks in August 2022 .
• Of the 18 students intialay enrolled, 12 students completed the programme, and 9 students were successful in passing their MII assessment examinations to enable them to become professionally accredited certified mediators (7 women and 2 men).
• Extra training was offered to 2 students who were not successful in graduating from the course, in order to give them a second chance to pass but had to be deferred until January 2023 due to the unavailability of the students to attend on the proposed dates.
• A Graduation ceremony is being planned for early 2023 in Kerry.

Note: This is the highest number of graduates of this training programme to date.

b) Prison Mediation in Prison (PMIP) Programmes in 2022

January to December 2022 Actions
Cork Prison:
• TMS held an information morning in Cork Prison in advance of the start of the new Peer Mediation Part 1 programme. Programme started on 28th April.
• Part 1 and Part 2 of the Peer mediation Programme was completed on 14th June with 4 prisoners successfully passing the Part 2 assessment (8 prisoners completed Part 1 of the programme. 2 of the prisoners were transferred during the part 1 programme and could therefore not complete it).
• The IPS Director General presented the Part 2 certificates to the men on 28th June.
• A new TMS Peer Mediation Part 1 programme commenced in Cork prison in September.
• The Peer Mediation Part 2 programme was successfully completed in Cork prison in November with 4 prisoners passing the Part 2 assessment.
• Certificates were awarded by the Governor at a presentation event on 14th December.
• The 2 prisoners (graduates from previous Part 2 training) who assisted with the training were also presented with certificates on this day, in recognition of the valuable role they played in the delivery of the programme.
• TMS has been working since September with Cork Prison IPS and teaching staff to help set up the Cork Prison Mediation Service.
• Discussions were held with IPS and prison teaching staff about the possibility of delivering the MII accredited Mediation Training Programme in Cork Prison in 2023.

Portlaoise Prison:
• Peer Mediation programme Part 1 training started on 17th January. 12 prisoners completed.
• Peer Mediation Part 2 programme as completed on 4th April, with external assessments held for the 7 prisoners and 2 teachers taking part. All 9 people were successful in passing their assessments. The Governor presented the certificates.
• Seven prisoners from the Special Wing completed a 3 week ‘Introduction to Conflict Skills’ Training in March.
• A second Peer Mediation part 1 programme was completed in May with 12 prisoners. The Governor presented the certificates, with the Chief also present.
• TMS commenced two new Peer Mediation programmes in Portlaoise prison in September, consisting of a Part 1 training for new prisoners, and a Part 2 training for those prisoners who had completed a Part 1 training in May.
• Part 1 & Part 2 Peer Mediation training programmes were both completed in November (one group took place in the mornings and one in the afternoons).
• 8 prisoners completed the Part 1 programme.
• 4 prisoners successfully passed the Part 2 assessments (2 were transferred to other prisons before the assessments took place).
• The presentation of certificates event has been deferred until January 2023 to enable the IPS Director General to attend and to present the certificates.
• Discussions have been taking place with Portlaoise IPS and prison teaching staff about the possibility of setting up Prisoner Mediation Service in Portlaoise Prison.
• Discussions have also been held with IPS and prison teaching staff about the possibility of delivering the MII accredited Mediation Training Programme in Porlaoise Prison in 2023.

Loughan House Prison:
• ‘Introduction to Conflict Resolution’ programme took place over a 3 week period in March.
• The Peer Mediation Part 1 Programme scheduled for September 2022 was deferred until January 2023 due to a lack of TMS staff resources to deliver the programme at that time.

Midlands Prison:
• Peer Mediation Part 1 Programme started on March 11th and was completed on 22nd May with 12 participants receiving certificates.
• Peer Mediation Part 2 Programme was completed on June 17th with 8 participants.
• The Midlands Prison Governor presented the certificates on Friday 1st July.
• An information session for prisoners interested in taking part in a Part 1 Peer Mediation programme was held on 20th October.
• The next Part 1 Peer Mediation programme, due to commence in November, was delayed because of IPS staff shortages, and started in December with 12 prisoners attending.
• Discussions have been held with IPS and teaching staff about setting up Prisoner Mediation Service in Midlands Prison.

c) Other TMS Training Programmes/ Workshops delivered in 2022

January to December 2022 Actions
• Two workshops with Exchange House Ireland staff were delivered on 20th & 28th January.
• A six-week training programme ‘Introduction to Mediation’ began on 6th April with Galway Traveller Movement staff and was completed at the end of May.
• One-to-one Conflict Coaching sessions for three Traveller men from the Athlone area took place on 3 occasions between August and October 2022.
• Two Meetings took place in September in Co. Limerick with 2 separate groups of Traveller men & women to discuss possible follow-on TMS workshops being delivered in the area.
• In September TMS met with representatives from the Traveller community in Carlow town to let them know of the TMS service.
• A workshop with Traveller representatives took place in Dundalk in September.
• TMS engaged with a soccer club in Offaly who have 27 young Traveller men from Offaly, Galway and Kildare from September to December 2022. TMS will keep engaging with this group as this is a part of our prevention work and also allows TMS to reach younger Travellers and build rapport.
• TMS engaged with Athlone boxing club in which a number of young Traveller young men and women participate from August to December 2022.
• TMS ran a session for 32 Gardai from 3 garda divisions in Cork on 5th October.
• TMS ran a training session with 22 Garda Diversity officers from Laois, Offaly, Carlow and Kilkenny about hate crime and working with the Traveller community on October 27th.
• TMS delivered workshops for groups of between 20-30 Garda Diversity officers as part of a series Hate Crime seminars in November and December, as follows:
– 9th November: training for Garda Diversity Officers in Wexford and Wicklow
– 16th November: training for Garda Diversity Officers in Donegal
– 1st December: training for Garda Diversity Officers in Kildare/Meath
– 5th December: training for Garda Diversity Officers in Longford/Roscommon/Westmeath

d) Irish Prison Service Prison Officer Recruits training
– TMS delivered 8 two-hour training sessions with IPS Prison Officer Recruits in Portlaoise in 2022.
– The training took place on the following dates: 15th January; 26th February; 16th April; May 28th; July 9th; 20th August; 8th October; and 15th November.
– TMS and the Traveller in Prison Initiative Coordinator met with IPS College Governor to in October 2022 to review the TMS training to IPS prison recruits over the last 3 years and to discuss content for future sessions.
– TMS agreed to support and advise IPS and TPI on the content of the training to be decided for 2023.

e) Young Pavees Programme piloted in 2022 (as detailed in TMS 2022 Annual Report).