Starting over after prison, the story of Enric with Reincorpora

Enric is a shining example of how everyone deserves a second chance. After serving time in prison, he has overcome his fears and challenges, and today he works cleaning the seafront promenade in Pineda de Mar. This opportunity came through the Reincorpora programme of the ”la Caixa” Foundation, in partnership with CIRE and the Magone Salesians Foundation. This is an initiative that fosters personal responsibility and helps people reintegrate into society.

A few weeks ago, after returning home from a day’s work, Enric made himself something to eat, had a shower and lay down on his bed with music playing in the background. A song came on that he used to listen to during difficult times, and memories of past stages in his life came flooding back. He opened his eyes and became fully aware that he was at home. “My time has come. I’m all right now. I’m happy,” he thought.

Enric is 31 years old and lives in Pineda de Mar (Barcelona). He remembers his release from prison with emotion, a moment of reunion with both his family and himself. “I felt an incredible sense of freedom,” he recalls. Yet he still carried one fear: not being able to readjust to life in society. The possible solution, however, had already been found while he was still in prison.

“My fellow inmates spoke very highly the Reincorpora programme, and a social worker suggested I join,” he says. Since then, the team has supported him every step of the way, offering both psychological and employment guidance. “They treated me really well, to be honest,” he says sincerely.

Reincorpora is a comprehensive social and employment reintegration programme designed to offer a second chance to people who have been deprived of their liberty. Run by the ”la Caixa” Foundation and developed in Catalonia in collaboration with the Centre for Reintegration Initiatives (CIRE) of the Department of Justice, the programme helps individuals like Enric reintegrate into society and the workplace so that they can rebuild their lives and work towards a future different from their past.

Because finding work is not just about searching until you land a job. It is about self-esteem, confidence and having a sense of purpose, which is why the impact of Reincorpora is so broad and profound. In 2024, some 4,137 people took part in the programme, resulting in 2,117 job placements, with the collaboration of 1,229 companies and 111 prisons. In Catalonia alone, 455 people found employment across 436 companies.

The Reincorpora pathway includes personalised support, training, community service projects, career guidance, job placement services and follow-up. But the programme does not only address employment; it is built on a comprehensive approach that addresses all the factors that can lead to social exclusion.

It is a holistic and, above all, a personalised form of support. This is a key feature, as it helps motivate each participant, who is, in fact, the one shaping their own tailored pathway through the programme.

The guidance covers every aspect of life, from social and employment matters to, more broadly, emotional wellbeing. It starts from the understanding that people in this situation often face significant barriers to finding work. “At this stage, it’s really important to observe and work closely with the person to begin a journey that truly fits their own circumstances,” explains Miquel Baldé, reintegration officer for the Reincorpora programme at the Magone Salesians Social Foundation (Mataró, Maresme).

Connecting talent and opportunity

This work is carried out through one-to-one interviews, life stories, self-assessment records and the individual’s experience, whether work-related, educational or community-based, to understand how they interact socially, what challenges they face, and what hidden strengths they may have. Training placements and community projects are assigned through ongoing dialogue with participants, with particular attention paid to key moments in their lives and to self-esteem, which is often “deeply affected”, explains Miquel.

This communication also extends to businesses, an essential partner in the reintegration of this group. The approach is similar: Reincorpora seeks to get to know the companies, identify their needs and propose suitable candidate profiles. “We’re mediators of needs,” says Baldé. “It’s vital for companies to be aware and open to engaging in this kind of community dialogue. That’s how we create opportunities for people.”

Enric recalls how Miquel helped him every day with his CV, emails, job searches on employment websites and handling bureaucratic procedures. Miquel also took on deeper, less tangible tasks that were crucial to Enric’s progress in the programme: he taught him to manage his impulses, motivated him daily and showed him the value of maintaining consistency in his routine.

“One day, I arrived very frustrated for a meeting with Miquel, but he helped me to understand the situation. I was able to reflect and make sense of what was happening,” Enric explains gratefully. That was not an isolated moment. Miquel says that Enric’s perseverance and sense of responsibility were exemplary. He never missed an appointment, adapted quickly to new circumstances and never hid his struggles, an attitude that, according to the Reincorpora adviser, allowed him to make progress faster and more effectively.

That is why Miquel was not surprised when Enric found his first job. “It was a reflection of all the effort he’d put in. What really caught my attention was that it was at an archaeological site. He’d told me he used to watch a lot of Indiana Jones as a child, and we had a laugh about it”, Miquel recalls.

Strength and optimism

The programme’s flexibility and its focus on what each person truly needs is clearly reflected in Enric’s case. His attitude throughout the personalised reintegration pathway and his level of commitment to the community service activities included in it caught the attention of a cleaning company, which decided to offer him a job. Now, every day, he walks the seafront promenade in Pineda de Mar, collecting litter and cleaning the path, one of those invisible but essential services.

For Enric, this job represents more than just employment. Having stable work has allowed him to rent his own flat and gain independence. But above all, it has marked a return to society for the young Catalan, he feels part of it once again. “I feel full of life. I wake up every morning with a smile and ready to face the day,” he says. He feels fulfilled, productive and useful. “Just one of many,” he adds. He has regained confidence in himself, thanks in large part to this job.

Now, Enric is brimming with energy and motivation. His life experience, full of challenges and solutions, has inspired him to send a message to others still in prison: “I’d tell them to stay strong, think positively and have a real desire to work.”

Everyone can make mistakes, take a wrong turn. But the other side of the coin is that, when people are given support, they respond. Enric’s story is proof that second chances do exist.