AkzoNobel India (makers of Dulux paint) for the past 9 years have been running vocational skill training in paint applications across various locations of India training more than 15,000 youth and painters. While it has its own paint academies at Gurgaon, Bengaluru, Assam and Navi Mumbai it also partners Tata Steel in running a centre at Jamshedpur.

One of its prime CSR skill training initiative is training the jail inmates of Maharashtra. The project offers jail inmates undergoing trial or short-term sentences training in decorative wall painting. It serves as both a skill development and rehabilitation effort, equipping inmates with wall painting skill that enhances their employability upon release. By providing this training, the program aims to mitigate economic and social isolation faced by inmates and their families, fostering a path toward successful reintegration into society.

This month the project has been extended to Mumbai Central Jail where the target is to train 60 inmates in next 3 months and provide placement post their release. The company is strengthening its flagship program even further, as it moves forward in its vision to reach more inmates for better life.
Rehabilitation programs are a crucial part of the criminal justice system, aiming to reduce recidivism rates by providing inmates with the tools and resources necessary to reintegrate into society. Effective rehabilitation programs provide inmates with education and vocational training, mental health and life skills training. These programs not only improve inmates’ chances of successful reintegration but also benefit society as a whole by reducing crime rates and associated costs. Studies suggest that inmates who participate in rehabilitation programs are less likely to reoffend and return to prison compared to those who do not participate. Overall, while rehabilitation programs have the potential to reduce recidivism rates and benefit society, their effectiveness is contingent on adequate resources, funding, and support.
In order to contribute to prison reforms and facilitate rehabilitation of prisoners, AkzoNobel successfully ran a vocational skill training project for prison inmates at Faridabad for 3 years. Taking it forward in March 2022 AkzoNobel joined hands with Prayas (field action unit of TISS), Maharashtra Prison Department, and Globalhunt Foundation to start vocational skill training project in paints at Thane Central Prison.
Once a candidate is released from prison they are provided with job placements (as professional decorative painters with paint contractors) where the Prayas team conducts counseling with the candidates and their families to facilitate a smooth transition into the workforce and to help them understand and navigates the job placement process. Through its placement partners AkzoNobel project team refers the candidates to jobs and assist in joining and remuneration discussion. For the next 3-6 months, the project team remains in regular contact with candidates to provide support which includes counselling, helping them to address any challenges they may face in their new job and if necessary, assisting in finding a new job if the initial job doesn’t work out for them.
Project Impact:
Even the numbers are low but the project have created a positive impact in rehabilitating the inmates in society and providing them a new hope. Since 2022 under this project 405 inmates have been trained out which 106 have been released and more than 50 people have been linked to job as professional painters. The training has proved to be a lifeline to the ex-inmates to lead a new life and get a dignified profession. Seeing the good output Superintendent of Thane prison recently awarded an appreciation letter to the project signifying its impact in realizing the true objective of prison reforms.