On 16 June 2026, RESCALED held its annual General Assembly in Malta, hosted by RISe Foundation, one of RESCALED’s founding members. As we do every year, we combined our official General Assembly with activities to connect, learn, and reflect on our shared work and the future of the movement. Alongside the formal voting on strategy, board members, policies, and new members, the gathering created valuable space for exchange and interaction.
Together with representatives from 15 RESCALED member organisations, we had the opportunity to learn more about the work of RISe Foundation, visit several of their facilities, and welcome three new members to the RESCALED movement: PHÖNIX – Training for Life from Austria, Prirašytos rankos from Lithuania, and Afstaða from Iceland.
Towards Justice that Heals: Detention Houses as a Way Forward
RESCALED and RISe Foundation co-hosted the conference “Towards Justice that Heals: Detention Houses as a Way Forward”.
We were honoured to welcome Maltese ministers Clifton Grima, Minister for Justice, Research and Innovation; Michael Falzon, Minister for Social Policy and the Family; and Glenn Bedingfield, Minister for Home Affairs and Security, as well as Albanian Deputy Minister Elona Alimadhi Hoxha. Their presence and contribution underlined the importance of European exchange and cooperation in building justice systems that are more humane and focused on healing and reintegration.
During the conference, RISe Foundation presented its transition house for men, its focus on restorative justice, and the results gathered from working at the facilities. RESCALED Knowledge Manager Noa Shoshan and Board Member and Co-founder Hans Claus shared insights on detention houses and the impact of the RESCALED movement. A key message throughout the day was clear: reintegration is a process that starts long before release and continues long after. It requires meaningful relationships, tailored support, and opportunities for personal growth and responsibility. Detention houses can make this possible by offering an environment, where people can receive individualised and tailored support and gradually rebuild their lives in the community.
We were also honoured to be invited to a reception at the Ministry for Justice, Research and Innovation, together with Minister Clifton Grima.
Welcome to our new members
During the official General Assembly meeting, among other decisions, we were delighted to welcome three new members to the RESCALED movement.
PHÖNIX – Training for Life from Austria provides health, sports, and social skills training for people in Austrian prisons.
Prirašytos rankos from Lithuania works through prison volunteering, dialogue initiatives, and storytelling projects, including podcasts, to humanise the experiences of incarcerated people and bridge the gap between prisons and the communities around them.
Afstaða from Iceland is a human rights association working in the fields of prison affairs, reintegration, and support for people with lived experience of imprisonment.
Each of these organisations brings unique experience, expertise, and commitment to advancing detention houses. Strengthening the movement at different levels and in two new countries.
The day concluded with a meeting at the RISe Education Hub, where former residents shared lived experiences from the transition house and Hans Claus paid a tribute to Charlie Mifsud, the co-founder and ‘heart’ of the RISe Foundation, by offering him a self-made statue in honor of his work.
Visit to RISe Foundation’s facilities
On the third and final day of the General Assembly, RESCALED visited two transition houses run by RISe Foundation. One of these is the Residential Home in Valletta, a small-scale facility for men in the final year of their prison sentence. Established in 2016, the home accommodates ten residents sharing daily life in a communal setting and are supported to take responsibility, maintain relationships, participate in work and house-related tasks, and access services in the community.
RESCALED also visited the second transition house, which is intended for women. The house opened in October 2025, but is not yet in use. It is designed to accommodate four women and includes several outdoor areas. The facility is located in a quiet residential neighbourhood.
We look back on an inspiring week in Malta, filled with exchange, connection, and shared commitment. A heartfelt thank you to RISe Foundation Malta, and in particular to Charlie Mifsud, Yanika Tabone, Purdey Bartolo, Dr Kevin Sammut Henwood, and Matthew Degiorgio, for their warm welcome and inspiring work.
Together, we continue working towards justice systems that heal, restore, and support successful reintegration.
