FAQ

Who does Beyond Bars support?

Beyond Bars supports incarcerated individuals, parolees and individuals from marginalised communities who may benefit from practical rehabilitation and reintegration support. Our programmes are designed to help participants build confidence, develop vocational and life skills, and prepare for productive pathways after release. Depending on the programme, we may also support juvenile participants and other communities facing barriers to livelihood opportunities.

Beyond Bars delivers programmes in selected institutions and communities across Malaysia in collaboration with relevant authorities and partners. Our current programme locations include Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Kedah. The specific locations may vary depending on the programme scope and the needs of our partners.

Beyond Bars provides a combination of vocational training, personal development and reintegration support. Depending on the programme, participants may receive training in areas such as agriculture, fish farming, cooking, life skills, financial literacy, job readiness and education support. Selected programmes may also include mentoring, counselling and aftercare support.

Participants are selected based on the objectives and eligibility criteria of each programme. The selection process is coordinated with the relevant authorities and programme partners, taking into consideration factors such as readiness, suitability, training needs and the participant’s potential to benefit from the programme.

Yes. Beyond Bars welcomes partnerships with employers who are open to providing suitable livelihood and employment opportunities for participants preparing to reintegrate into society. Placements are considered carefully based on the participant’s readiness, skills and suitability for the role. Where appropriate, Beyond Bars may also support the process through expectation-setting and follow-up.

Beyond Bars measures the progress and outcomes of its programmes through indicators such as participant reach, attendance, programme completion, skills gained, confidence improvement, mentoring support, livelihood referrals and proceeds generated through vocational activities. Where possible, we also monitor follow-up outcomes to understand how participants progress after completing the programme.

Beyond Bars is committed to protecting the dignity and privacy of every participant. Personal identities, photographs and stories are only shared where the appropriate consent has been obtained. Where consent is not available, we use anonymised or composite stories to communicate the impact of our work without revealing personal information.