Our First Summit

European Justice Education & Leadership Summit

Every role matters. Every voice leads.

Dates: 17–18 September 2026
Venue: VHS PAHO, Vienna, Austria

Organisers welcoming participants on stage at the European Justice Education & Leadership Summit
Speaker on stage presenting Growing Culture and the principles of growth
Speaker addressing the audience from the stage
Philipp Meissner of UNODC addressing the Summit
Speaker at the lectern beside a large projected drawing of a face
Team members at the Summit registration desk
Three people smiling in front of the Richtungswechsel and Champions Community banners
Participants in small circles during the Dialogue Islands session
Olivia Rope delivering the keynote The Human Rights Imperative
Petra Scicluna delivering the keynote The Champions of Change
Speaker at the lectern beside a slide of Champions of Change initiatives
Speaker addressing the Summit against a green-lit stage curtain
Participant applauding in the audience
Speaker presenting on reframing leadership
Panel discussion The Journey of Change on stage
Speaker presenting on stage in front of a slide
Participant asking a question from the audience
Panel discussion on stage at the Summit
Panellists sharing a smile during a discussion on stage
Panel discussion on leadership at senior level on stage
Wide view of the senior leadership panel on stage
Speaker on stage in front of the Champions Community slide
Participants raising their hands in the hall
Two people embracing on stage, with a bouquet of flowers
Panel discussion The Training of Leadership on stage
Summit participants applauding in the hall
Team members holding bouquets on stage at the close of the Summit
Participants raising their hands in the green-lit hall

Photos: © Leggou.Vision e.U / Richtungswechsel

Full agenda

Event summary

Over two days in Vienna, the Champions Community brought together practitioners, prison officers, educators, people with lived experience, researchers, NGOs, policymakers and leaders from across Europe and beyond to build connections, learn from one another and develop ideas for the future of justice.

The first day moved from international perspectives, with contributions from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, EuroPris and Penal Reform International, to the voices of the Champions themselves and panels on the journey of change, senior leadership and the training of leaders. The second day opened with the Dialogue Islands, where twelve initiatives hosted small-group conversations, and continued with contributions from the Council of Europe, small-scale detention and youth justice leadership, leadership pedagogy, and a session on the evaluation and future of the Champions Community.

The Summit was organised by Richtungswechsel and co-hosted by Grow Transform Belong and Smart Corrections, the founding organisations behind the Champions Community. Die Wiener Volkshochschulen hosted the venue.

Day 1: 17 September 2026, From Vision to Proximity
08:15Registration
09:00Welcome & Opening Speeches
Tamara Höfer, Dr Sarah Lewis and Steven Van De Steene, Champions Community; opening address by Philipp Meissner, UN Office on Drugs and Crime
09:45Keynote: What difficult experiences can teach us that success never will
Gustav Tallving, Executive Director, EuroPris
10:25Coffee and Connection Break
11:00Keynote: The Human Rights Imperative
Olivia Rope, Executive Director, Penal Reform International
11:30The Champions of Change, featuring the premiere of the Champions Community film
Petra Mifsud Scicluna, Forensic Psychologist, Correctional Services Agency Malta, and Malta Champion
12:10Panel: The Journey of Change
Charlie Abbott, HMPPS and Growth Champion; Kat Gartland, Unlocked Graduates; Lukáš Strnad, Czech Prison Service and Czech Champion
13:00Lunch Break
14:00Panel: Leadership on the Senior Level
Torben Adams, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Bremen; Beverley Wall, Director General, Northern Ireland Prison Service; Bella Atkinson, ChangeMakers at Unlocked Graduates
15:00Coffee and Connection Break
15:45Panel: The Training of Leadership
Marc Cerón Riera, Centre for Legal Studies and Specialised Training, Catalonia; Kim Ekhaugen, Norwegian Correctional Service; Nim Gill, Consultant and Keynote Speaker with lived experience
16:45Closing: Reflection and Outlook
Dr Sarah Lewis and Steven Van De Steene, Champions Community
08:15Registration
09:00Dialogue Islands: A Tour of European Justice Projects
ENABLE, Champions Community, BOA, RESIZE, LiberateSkills, AusbildungsFit BOK, PROMOTE, PICTURES, NOWNI, De Kansenfabriek, Violence Prevention Network / INDEX and Growth Project Training
10:00Coffee and Connection Break
10:30Introduction to the Council of Europe’s Role in the Correctional Leadership Landscape
Donche Boshkovski, Head of Unit, Council of Europe
11:00Flash Talk: Leadership in (small-scale) detention: It’s all about culture
Leen Muylkens, De Kansenfabriek and Transitiehuis Leuven & Hamme
11:20Coffee and Connection Break
11:50Keynote: Cultivating a Growth Culture: Insights from a Governor’s Office
Seada Killinger, Münnichplatz Youth Detention Facility, Austrian Prison Service
12:20Lunch Break
13:20Panel: Deconstructing Leadership Pedagogy
Martina Schneider, VHS Vienna; Pascale Pug, ENAP; Khalil Chait, Stichting Sileo
14:10Champions Community Evaluation and Vision Session
Preliminary evaluation findings by Dr Sinéad Meade, IADT, followed by Tamara Höfer, Dr Sarah Lewis and Steven Van De Steene on the future of the Champions Community
14:45Panel: Leadership Voices, Shaping the Culture of Justice
Prof. Alison Liebling, Cambridge Institute of Criminology; Gustav Tallving, EuroPris; Olivia Rope, Penal Reform International; Torben Adams, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Bremen
15:40Closing: Remarks & Acknowledgements

The Champions Community film

This short film by Boo Xinying premiered at the Summit. It explains why the Champions Community was created and shares the stories and testimonies of the Champions from Germany, Czechia and Malta.

Conference report

The conference report is available in our resource library and can be downloaded here. 

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