Prisoners given a second chance through Printing SA
JOBURG - Inmates participated in their accredited screen printing training course.
Printing SA based in officers across Johannesburg, together with Boksburg Correctional Facilities joined forces to give 20 inmates, who are due to be released later this year, the opportunity to participate in the company’s accredited screen printing training course.
According to marketing consultant of Printing SA Steven Brown the inmates were selected based on their enthusiasm after participating in a number of various educational programmes in prison, having completed courses on carpentry, welding and various courses with University of South Africa (Unisa).
“We saw this as an opportunity for our organisation to contribute something meaningful as I realised that after a life of crime, inmates are in a fairly tough position to be employed with a criminal record,” said Steve Thobela, Printing SA’s CEO. “When we were approached by the Boksburg prison’s team, we saw this as the perfect opportunity to include our services which intertwines with some of the skills they have already learned while incarcerated.
“Overall we need to look at ways of ensuring that when inmates leave, they leave with skills that assist them in contributing positively to society at large and not heading back to a life of crime.”
The course was for two weeks and each of the candidates were provided with a startup kit made up of A4 silkscreen, extender, pigments, squeegee as well as canvas, fabric, lino and printing ink, and essential stationery for design patterns.
Once they have completed the course they will all have an understanding of silk-screen equipment and tools, learn to mix different colours, compile a story board with design ideas and to apply these design ideas onto fabric through the various printing techniques. There was a special graduation ceremony on 19 April where the participating graduates were issued with their certificates of achievement.
