Prisoners sew library bags for children starting school

Library bags sewn by prisoners at Townsville Women’s Correctional Centre will be filled with stationary items and provided to children to help prepare them for school starting.

Townsville Correctional Complex General Manager Peter Hall said the centre would be holding a back-to-school event for women prisoners and their children who are preparing to go to school.

“The event will include a range of activities which will allow the children time to spend with their families,” Mr Hall said.

“The children will also receive a library bag, made by our prisoners, filled with stationary items to prepare them for the year ahead.”

In partnership with the Joyful Foundation and Soroptimists International, women at the centre were given the opportunity to make reparation to the community by sewing the library bags.

Mr Hall said the prisoners would have sewn close to 800 library bags at the end of the project as part of the centre’s community service program.

“This is one of many programs our women take part in that helps them with their rehabilitation and breaking the cycle of re-offending,” he said.

“The program offers the prisoners an opportunity to build their confidence and learn valuable working skills that increases their chances of employment once released, which also decreases the likelihood of re-offending.

“As a result of the program and our partnership, everybody wins.”