- Award Entered:
Sport For Social Inclusion Award
- Parent Organisation:
Santa Teresa Foundation
- Project Host Nation:
Venezuela
- Overview of Project:
Since its inception in 2003, our mission with Proyecto Alcatraz® is to peacefully eradicate crime and transform violent leadership of youth offenders into virtuous leadership. We recruit gangs – not gang members, rehabilitate them and after a two year program, reinsert them into society. As we advance in the recruitment of gangs and as they understand the philosophy of “Violence breeds violence and Trust stimulates Trust”, we bring these gangs together and oblige them to make peace, hence bringing the crime rate down dramatically. Under our zero crime motto, members of the Project participate in programs that combine community service, civil values training, vocational training, psychological assistance, and rugby training. Once participants have completed the three months training program, graduates can choose from a job within the company, partnering with the company in a project or continue their training with El Taller del Constructor Popular.
Go back to the previous page
Global Partner
Media Partner
International Development Partner
Comments
Add Your Comment
: 26 May 2009 - 18:20 BST
It began in 2003 as a response to the armed attack of one of the company's security guards. Three young members of La Placita gang mug a Ron Santa Teresa's security guard stripping him of his firearm and radio. As a result of this situation, policemen arrested the muggers and notify the company. In order to face the issue, Ron Santa Teresa offered the muggers two options either: 1) to go back to the policemen and then to jail; or 2) to carry out growing and fire control works receiving no remuneration thus paying for the misdemeanor, during three months. After a short negotiation, both parties choose the second option. Some days later, the young men asked for the inclusion of the rest of the gang in the project. This first Alcatraz group was made up of 22 youths. The second one was made up of 34 members of the rival gang El Cementerio. Up to date, five groups have joined the project.
: 27 Apr 2009 - 17:02 BST
The unique aspect of this project is that you actually recruity ganges, not gang members. so you utilise the aspect of team comraderie in ganges and put it toward something more usueful. What made you come up with this idea? was it born out of a specific experience?