Nordic Peer Support Pathways for Reintegration

Building Nordic Pathways for Reintegration Through Peer Support

A Nordic collaboration dedicated to strengthening reintegration for people with lived experience of incarceration has successfully concluded its first major project phase, establishing a strong foundation for continued cooperation, learning, and social impact across the region.

The partnership brought together civil society organizations from across the Nordics: Icelandic partners Afstaða, Geðhjálp, Batahúsið, and Traustur Kjarni, alongside Finland’s RETS and Norwegian partners Bli and WayBack. Together, they worked to introduce peer support as a powerful tool for empowerment, inclusion, and active citizenship.

Peer Support as a Catalyst for Change

At the heart of the initiative was the Intentional Peer Support (IPS) approach. A central milestone was the delivery of an online IPS Core Training engaging 20 participants with lived experience of incarceration. The training created a strong peer-based learning environment, equipping participants with skills to transform lived experience into meaningful support for others navigating reintegration. Beyond skills development, the programme fostered cross-Nordic connections, helping participants and partners alike recognize shared challenges and opportunities across national contexts.

The project also included an IPS Train-the-Trainer programme, with one representative from each partner country preparing to deliver future trainings locally. This marked a major step toward sustainability, enabling in-person learning environments better suited to the needs of this demographic.

Strengthening Nordic Collaboration in Practice

An in-person gathering in Iceland, connected to the Social Change Conference, became a defining moment for the partnership. All partners presented their work and shared project progress, creating a platform for knowledge exchange and dialogue. The visit also included a visit to an Icelandic prison, allowing for meaningful discussion on reintegration systems, peer support models, and structural differences across Nordic countries.

Learning Through Challenges

One of the project’s most valuable insights emerged from the online training experience. While 20 participants registered, 12 completed the full 40-hour programme, highlighting the complexity of delivering long online trainings to people with lived experience of incarceration. This underscored the importance of stronger preparation, trauma-informed approaches, flexibility, and in-person learning environments, lessons now shaping the partnership’s next phase.

Creating Lasting Impact Beyond the Project

Rather than ending with the final report, the collaboration continues to grow. Partners have secured a Nordplus Mobility grant enabling exchanges in Finland to further develop IPS as part of adult education for formerly incarcerated people.

In addition, a new international research partnership with Yale University has emerged focusing on active citizenship and reintegration, alongside further joint funding applications aimed at expanding peer support across the Nordic region.

A Model for Nordic Cooperation

Perhaps the project’s greatest achievement is the Nordic value it created: a trusted, collaborative network where organizations exchanged methods, built shared understanding of reintegration systems, and developed joint solutions that would not have been possible in isolation.

From peer training to research partnerships and mobility exchanges, the collaboration has laid the groundwork for long-term innovation in reintegration and peer support across the Nordic region.

The partnership would like to sincerely acknowledge the support of Nordic Culture Point, whose funding made this cross-Nordic collaboration and development of peer support for reintegration possible.