Description
Following the success of our current ESC TEAM – Beneath the Cover – renamed Under the Hood we are preparing to host Under the Hood II you will have the priviledge of stepping inside Point Blanche Prison and Miss Lalie Juvenille Detention Centre where you will work with six prison residents who will be ESC team mebers with you completing the small Solidarity Corps team who will work with the wider prison population to bring non-formal learning opportunities to Sint Maarten prisons. This initiative is implemented under the Detention Sector Reform Programme (DSRP), with joint funding from the European Solidarity Corps and from the Ministry of Justice of Sint Maarten and the Government of the Netherlands. It is delivered through a partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The activities focus on the Nelson Madela Rules which are the official United Nations guidelines for the fair, humane, and safe treatment of prisoners. What could you offer?
Activity dates
From 10/10/2026 to 07/12/2026
Activity location
Point Blanche Prison & Miss Lalie Centre, Point Blanche, Sint Maarten (dutch part)
Activity type
Volunteering teams
Looking for participants from
Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden
Activity topics
Citizenship and democratic participation
Deadline for applications
Application deadline: 29/08/2026 13:00
Accommodation, food and transport arrangements
You will stay in a two bedroom appartment with two male English trainees delivering sport in a paralell programme. The accommodation has two double beds however we can add floor mattresses if you prefer not to share. The accommdation is very close to all amenities, supermarkets, the beach and social life.
Transport will be a mixture of lifts, busses, local rides and walking you may also have an opportunity to ride a bike. The island is small and easy to navigate.
Training during the activity
Training will be delivered in two ways. You will recieve training on the project:
- Orientation
- Training in prison protocols
- Training around prison reform
You will co-deliver training in different fields, for example are you a skilled artist, photographer or writer… we want you to train others in your skills and also learn from other volunteers, PB and MLC residents, international volunteers and UK trainees.
Participant profile
We are searching for two unique individuals. Do you consider a man not to be defined by his biggest mistake? Do you feel it would be a priviledge to work with the amazing guys we are in contact with in the Sint Maarten justice system? Are you ready to give unconditionally expecting nothing in return, but then recieve everything you get back with humility and grace? Are you ready to push boundaries and encourage tough guys to bake cupcakes, experiement with perspective and go deeper into their feelings with poetry? Are you ready to share of yourself, be vulnerable and accept the friendship offered to you? Are you resillient and adaptable, can you keep a positive attitude when systems don’t work, your ride is late, or you don’t have the resources you need? Do you believe in transformation through non-formal learning and solidarity? Then maybe you are who we are looking for. What could you offer to make Under the Hood II better than the first edition? https://www.instagram.com/p/DcMknY5kWBZ/?img_index=1
This is not a generic project. It is probably one of the 10 best ESC team activities ever offered.
IMPORTANT
DO NOT APPLY VIA THE ESC PORTAL WE WILL NOT CONSIDER YOUR APPLICATION AND THESE APPLICATIONS WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY DELETED.
IF YOU ARE TEMPTED BECAUSE THE ACTIVITY IS IN THE CARRIBEAN AND YOU SAW THE OFFER ON A PLATFORM WITH A PALM TREE AS THE ADVERT – PLEASE DO NOT APPLY. THIS IS NOT FROM US AND DOES NOT SHOW YOU THE REALITY YOU WILL LIVE.
WE WILL CONSIDER VOLUNTEERS AGED 23+
WE WILL ONLY CONSIDER APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED ON TIME ON OUR APPLICATION FORM https://turcostaposibel.eu/beneath-the-cover/ with a MOTIVATION LETTER
Please send your completed application and motivation letter to info@turcostaposibel.eu with the subject heading UNDER THE HOOD II APPLICATION
