PRISONS OFFER CERTIFIED COURSES IN ELDERLY CARE FOR INMATES|桃女監辦照服員證照班 助收容人重生

Taiwan's population is aging rapidly. According to the Ministry of the Interior statistics, in 2018, the elderly population aged 65 and above will surpass 14 percent of the total population, officially entering an aging society. Currently, only 20 thousand people are employed in care services. For the first time, Taoyuan Women's Prison is running care service certification courses. In addition to helping prisoners find employment when they leave, this will also add to available care staff. This program will be replicated all over Taiwan. NT$2 million was invested to create a special classroom at Taoyuan Women's Prison, which is the first of Taiwan's prisons to offer a care service certification course, helping to overcome difficulties in finding work when inmates leave. ==LAI YA-HSIN Taoyuan Women's Prison Security Section Chief== When these students go outside to work as interns, the total internship is 30 hours. We have to be there with them as guards, from 8 am to 4 pm and during this period we cannot stop or take a rest. Taiwan's population is aging rapidly. It is estimated that in the year 2018, the elderly population will reach 14.6 percent of the total population, while 1.5 in 10 people will be elderly. However, the number of carers for elderly people in Taiwan is only 20,000, which is insufficient. From first aid, to help getting out of bed and into a wheelchair, to nasogastric feeding, 24 recipients took 110 hours of training and internships. They all passed testing to obtain a license, and immediately after release from prison can find employment in care services. ==HSIAO YUN Taoyuan Women's Prison inmate== I felt like crying because this is the first time in my life that I got 100 percent on a test and it is the first time that I obtained a professional license. I'm so moved. ==HSIAO FEI Taoyuan Womens' Prison inmate== I just kept on studying and practicing until my hands were aching, but I didn't give up. ==CHIU TAI-SAN Minister of Justice== After release, if they work full-time they can earn around NT$40,000 to 50,000, by contract around NT$20,000 to 30,000. Initially, these licensed recipients will work in public care facilities. The Ministry of Justice is also working to amend regulations on self-supervision outside the prison whereby for six months to 1 year before their release, prisoners can work outside, and return to the prison and have regular urine tests. As well as giving employers time to assess and accept the staff it also gives prisoners a chance to get used to working. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR 投資兩百萬打造專用檢定教室，桃園女子監獄創全台矯正機關之先，開辦照服員證照班，也克服出監所實習困難。 ==桃園女子監獄戒護科長 賴亞欣== 這些同學到外面去 總共實習是30個小時 必須要有我們的戒護人員 是全程戒護 從早上8點到下午4點鐘 這段期間 我們的戒護同仁 是不能休息的 台灣人口老化快速，預估2018年邁入高齡社會，65歲以上老人達到總人口14.6%，10個人中就有1.5個老人，而目前台灣照服員卻只有兩萬多人，嚴重不足。從急救、協助上下床坐輪椅到鼻胃管灌食，24名收容人經過110小時的課程和實習訓練，全數通過檢定考取證照，出獄後可馬上就業、從事照顧服務工作。 ==桃園女子監獄收容人 小芸== 就是不自覺 眼淚就會流下來 因為那是我人生中第一個100分 也是我人生中的第一張證照 非常感動 ==桃園女子監獄收容人 小肥== 就不斷反覆練習呀 練習到手都 已經都發炎了 可是我們還是不放棄 ==法務部長 邱太三== 出去之後 大概全職的呢 最少大概都會有 4、5萬以上 兼職的 大概也都會在2、3萬 初期這群領有證照的收容人，將先轉介到公立養護單位服務。而法務部也在研擬修改「監外自主作業辦法」，未來讓收容人出獄前半年到1年就可以先媒合工作，下班後回到矯正機關報到，定期接受驗尿等檢驗，除了有時間讓雇主觀察接受，也讓更生人有重生機會。 記者 詹淑雲 桃園報導