The Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia (the SPS) took an important step toward strengthening staff well-being by engaging in a two-day Workshop on “Staff Well-Being in the Penitentiary System of Georgia”, which was held on 18–19 November 2025 in Tbilisi.

The activity, aimed at supporting the SPS in developing a more structured and strategic approach to staff well-being and burnout prevention, brought together 21 prison managers, operational staff and human resources professionals.

Participants explored international standards and good European practices, including the links among staff well-being, prison management, and prisoner rehabilitation. Sessions covered definitions of well-being in penitentiary settings and the role of leadership in creating healthy working environments. Georgian prison directors and the SPS representatives also presented and discussed existing policies, good practices and challenges within the national system.

Experience-sharing from other European contexts, including Ukraine, contributed to the discussions, with participants expressing interest in the practical tools and approaches used there to assess and strengthen the well-being of penitentiary staff.

As a result of the workshop, the SPS set the framework for devising a roadmap containing individual, institutional and systemic steps to better address staff well-being issues in the prison system. The activity concluded with a discussion on priority needs, future support and potential policy developments.

The activity was marked by high engagement and openness, highlighting strong, productive cooperation between the Council of Europe and the Georgian penitentiary system to improve the treatment of detainees and promote safe, supportive working environments for penitentiary staff.

The activity was organised within the Council of Europe’s project “Support to Penitentiary System Reforms in Georgia”, implemented under the auspices of the Council of Europe’s Action Plan for Georgia 2024-2027.