In this scientific research paper there is the analysis of imprisoned people‘s experiences of hope and the meaning of life after the discovery of God. The objective of my paper is to reveal the application opportunities of existentialist paradigm in social work with the imprisoned; in addition to discussing the expression of the Theories of Hope and Logotherapy. Moreover, I aim to reveal the significance of conversion and faith to people who are in prison as well as to show the relations of discovered faith in God with imprisoned people‘s experiences of hope and the meaning of life. I also try to define the Alpha course as the model of social work with the imprisoned based on faith in God, which generates prisoners‘ motivation of reintegration into society by revealing the importance of sharing one‘s personal experience of life and faith in the group for the sake of the discovery of hope and the sense of life. Furthermore, I aim to reveal the significance of learning about other people‘s success stories and their witnesses about their personal faith and life for imprisoned people‘s experiences of hope and the meaning of life and their motivation for reintegration into society.

The research object is imprisoned people‘s experiences of hope and the meaning of life after the discovery of God.

The research aim is to reveal and interpret experiences of hope and the meaning of life after the discovery of God.

The qualitative research has been done in the paper. The research data has been collected by applying partially the interview guide focus group approach. The data has been analysed by using interpretation phenomenology. The research participants have been chosen applying criterion sampling. There have been seven prisoners who correspond the following criteria: convicted, imprisoned in X prison, in 2009 – 2010 they participated in the social rehabilitation project ‘ Alpha course for prisoners’, organised by Catholic Church, non-government organisation LITHUANIA’S CARITAS; convicts who have experienced Christian conversion and found faith in God. The research validity in order to guarantee the reliability of the conclusions has been achieved by using member checking, i.e. involving informants as active participants into the analysis of the obtained data and the process of creating research results.

The research results. The experience of imprisonment and subsequent existential crisis can become significant factors, which encourage convicts to religious conversion and motivate them to experience a change in their personal lives, refusing delinquent behaviour and deciding for living according to Christian morality. Faith in God strongly relates to imprisoned people‘s experiences of hope and the meaning of life, which are strongly experienced during the meetings of the interpersonal sharing groups and while listening to other people’s success stories.

Raktažodžiai: conversion, imprisoned people (convicts), the meaning of life, hope