Aliax

Aliax is a holistic rehabilitation service that engages and involves the youth since the beginning and see resettlement as a shift within a young person, rather than something to be done to them. It leverages the available time involving them in activities and interactions that happen outside custody or the community where they are based. These activities are offered by a host or “catalyst of change” such as a Community NGO, a social enterprise or and Art&Culture center. The activities offered are distributed in three categories such as work skills, volunteering or hobbies that every host decide. Through a digital platform Aliax matches the youth or “explorer” with the host or “catalyst of change”, once they have defined their identities. Involving these catalysts of change Aliax contributes to make a cultural change and to break the social stigma of young offenders.

Aliax is a service for young people between 10 and 17 years old that are engaged with the Justice System. We refer to young offenders that have committed a crime and have been sentenced to custody or community sentence.

Self-identity or self esteem are needed for any human being, especially when you are in an extremely vulnerable situation as youth offenders are. However, the complex and large Justice System is mainly focused on structural needs, such as health or accommodation, but not in those personal and social needs. Most young offenders are trapped in a social exclusion circle and they understand offending as a normal pattern or behaviour. The aim of Aliax is to empower youth engaged with the Justice System to make a shift from an identity that promotes offending to one that promotes positive contribution to society, focused on strengths and potentials, so that they and "the team around them" (workers of the Justice System that give support to the youth) feel motivated to enable the process.

Aliax holds five different stages: - Exploring identity by youth. Defining “Who am I?” and embodying the new identity through acting sessions. - Matching a catalyst or host based in common identities and activities. - Engaging in activities. - Interacting and making a commitment. - Recording assessment and measuring achievements. The whole journey is supported by a social worker or “Broker” who defines a clear commitment with the youth through a pathway form. The broker also sets with a guideline with the host including things such as resources available or health and safety rules.