CEP Leadership Excellence Training: strengthening leadership and cooperation across Europe

Through expert-led sessions, practical discussions, and peer learning, participants explored some of the most pressing challenges facing probation services across Europe. These included staff shortages, recruitment and retention difficulties, employee motivation, political and financial pressures, and increasingly punitive approaches. Discussions also highlighted the need to demonstrate the value of probation and strengthen understanding of its role among policymakers and the wider public.

Goran Brkić, Head of the Probation Sector at the Croatian Ministry of Justice, and Suki Binning, CEO of Interventions Alliance (UK), led the session on “Modern Leadership Mindset”. They explored the shift from traditional management towards leadership, reflecting on the differences between managing services and leading people, and how leaders can build organisational capabilities to respond to changing demands.

Michael Baker, from Interventions Alliance and Chair of the CEP Expert Group on Communication and Awareness-Raising, delivered a session on “Effective Communication”. This provided an opportunity to reflect on communication as a central leadership skill and its role in strengthening relationships, conveying organisational priorities, and raising awareness of probation.

The second day began with a visit to the Zagreb I Probation Office, offering participants practical insights into Croatian probation practice. Vesna Zelić Ferenčić, from the headquarters of the Croatian Probation Service, subsequently presented “VR in Probation”, showcasing the use of virtual reality and opening discussion on the potential of emerging technologies in rehabilitation and staff training.

The session on “Daily Work with Staff”, led by Matea Sršen, Manager of the Zagreb I Probation Office, and Danijela Mrhar Prelić, Director General of the Slovenian Probation Service, encouraged participants to exchange experiences of supporting staff and addressing the everyday demands of probation management.

Jana Špero Kamenjarin, CEP Secretary General, and Anna Esquerrà Roqueta, CEP Policy and Liaison Officer, led the session on “The Importance of Cooperation and Professionalisation”. They explored how European cooperation, training, expert networks, and exchanges can support professional development and strengthen staff motivation and engagement. The discussion also considered the relevance of Core Correctional Skills, particularly pro-social modelling, for senior leaders. Participants reflected on how their own behaviour can shape organisational culture, encourage collaboration, and support professional growth.

Bringing together expertise from probation services, Interventions Alliance, and CEP, the training created a valuable space for open dialogue, practical learning, and professional reflection. It also strengthened connections among European probation leaders, providing a foundation for continued cooperation and mutual support.