As part of different fairs of entities within these justice resources, last April, people deprived of their liberty had their first contact with this technology in Wad-Ras i Brians 1 and, next Tuesday, June 17, the virtual reality glasses will arrive in Lledoners.
An ant walking through the jungle gets trapped by falling rocks and different animals intervene to help it. This is the plot of the story that people deprived of their liberty in the Wad-Ras i Brians 1 prisons were recently able to see with virtual reality glasses. This story is part of the “Tales with a Beat” project by Suara Cooperativa, through which emotions are worked on with people using this technology.
This virtual reality experience is the first contact that people deprived of their liberty have had with the glasses. The idea of Suara Cooperativa, however, is to implement a pilot test in the different prisons where it offers the intercultural mediation service to combat racism and promote coexistence.
“We will use virtual reality glasses or immersive rooms to work on stereotypes that help us prevent intercultural conflicts,” specifies Alba Liliana Moreira, who works for Suara Cooperativa as an intercultural mediator in prisons.
Beyond that, Moreira points out that this technology allows them to deal with a wide range of topics to “develop skills, strengthen knowledge, develop a critical spirit” among other issues, as well as prepare people for social reintegration once they regain their freedom.
Once the viewing was finished, Moreia asked the participants what experiences they wanted to experience with the virtual reality glasses. “They said they would like to see street spaces, but also others that give them peace of mind such as the sea, space and the universe,” says the expert from Suara Cooperativa, who adds that they have also asked for tangible environments: “People, streets, situations and real stories that allow them to self-analyze for their future social reintegration.”
Fair of entities in prisons
These people were able to enjoy virtual reality experiences in the fairs of entities that were held at the end of April in the penitentiary centers of Wad-Ras and Brians 1, coinciding with the festival of Sant Jordi; while next Tuesday, June 17, people deprived of their liberty in Lledoners will have the opportunity to put on the glasses.
“It is an opportunity for the inmates to get to know a little more about the entities that we have here in the center and what services we offer,” highlights Amel Benmahdjoub, intercultural mediator of Suara in a penitentiary center where the cooperative manages this service. For this reason, she emphasizes, within the framework of this initiative they deliver leaflets and do recreational activities with people deprived of their liberty so that they know the work they do from this service.
In detail, the figure of the intercultural mediator aims to prevent and manage possible conflicts that may arise within a penitentiary center, from a culture of peace and positive to break stereotypes and build bridges between different people with different cultures, origins, gender entities and sexual orientations, among others.
