Book "Achter de muren"

Book Achter de muren, submitted by the Stichting voor Morele Bijstand aan Gevangenen (SMBG)

In 1958, secular humanists took the first steps to have secular counsellors in prisons recognised, alongside chaplains. The committee that was initially set up, grew into the Stichting voor Morele Bijstand aan Gevangenen (SMBG – “Foundation for Moral Assistance to Prisoners”) in 1964. As a result, on 29 April 2014 the Foundation celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. On that occasion it looked at its past "in order to be able to better map out the way ahead"^[1] This retrospective resulted in a publication, “Achter de muren” (“Behind the Walls”), in which the SMBG gave detainees and moral counsellors, among others, a voice and allowed for a brief glimpse into its history. The book thus provides a good picture of the workings of this Foundation and demonstrates its importance.

Moral counsellors and volunteers, as representatives of secular humanism, provide 'moral assistance'. Among other things, they lend a listening ear to the prisoners. The SMBG also has a psychosocial service for ex-prisoners, active in the Brussels-Capital Region, and an 'Animation and training' service, which offers socio-cultural activities for detainees.

^[1] RAMOUDT (Tania) (ed.). Achter de muren. Vijftigste verjaardag van de Stichting voor Morele Bijstand aan Gevangenen. Brussels, SMBG, 2014, p. 7.