Development of Non-formal Education Activities Based on the Four Noble Truths Principle to Enhance Life Skills for Living Together of Male Inmates in Chiangmai Central Prison

Abstract

The purposes of this research were to (1) analyze the case study of ways and means in an alleviation and rehabilitation of the drug addicts’ capability from successful organizations, (2) to develop the program activities under non-formal education in accordance with the Four Noble Truths Principle, (3) study the results of the activities developed from (2) on the enhancement of life skills in living together in society of the male inmates in the Chiangmai Central Prison, and (4) to study factors and conditions affecting the success in applying the program activities to achieve the goal.

This study used the mixed methods including qualitative and the semi-trial methodologies. Successful models were selected from 3 organizations successfully rehabilitated drug-addict patients to analyze, synthesize and develop new program activities in accordance with the Four Noble Truths Principle. The newly developed program has been experimented with the male inmates, especially the drug-addict patients, recruited by random sampling using a ticket selection from Chiangmai Central Prison. A group of 28 volunteers participated in the activities during the course of 11 days (total of 116 hours) and were evaluated with life skills tests. Volunteers were assigned to fill survey forms to evaluate the activities according to their satisfaction and provide of self-assessment. Behavior observation
has been recorded.

These research tools had been assessed and approved by technical experts and advisors to validate them before the trial (α=0.9133, p < 0.05). Results
demonstrated that case study from 3 successful organizations used applied methods of rehabilitation with the drug addicts following the process of the
Four Noble Truths Principle; a) Dukkha the study of circumstances of suffering that revealed the drug addiction in the different format; b) Samudaya the root causes of suffering caused by family-related and self-problems; c) Nirodha setting up goals and targets to reduce, detach and quit from the addiction; and d) Magga the steps of the path leading to the cessation of suffering. The Four Noble Truth Principle will ultimately prevent patients from future addiction by that include setting records of individual profile of drug addicts, providing occupational training, sports playing, dharma and ethics cultivations and pledging the oath not to return to drug addiction. It is believed that the application of the Noble Eight-fold Path (Magga) as the middle way process of achieving the target. The development of program activities in accordance with the Four Noble Truths Principle to enhance the life skills utilized the models from 3 organizations as the foundation to set up the principles, purposes, activity plan and the study process, aiming that the volunteers gain new knowledge and valuable experience, practice the important activities in accordance with Neo-Humanism process and the Four Noble Truths Principle.