On the 1st and 2nd of February, The CoPPer project had its kick-off meeting, in Utrecht, The Netherlands. All partners, Aproximar, Reclassering Nederland, The Probation Service of Ireland, University College Cork, European Strategies Consulting, Direcao-Geral De Reinsercao E Servicos Prisionais, NEOSTART and CEP, were present.

The main purpose of the kick-off meeting was to get everyone on the same page and off to a great start. It was an excellent opportunity to meet and introduce the different partners from different EU Member States who are now configured as a team and to increase understanding of the project so that the work can start.

After making introductions, review the project’s purpose and general objectives there was a presentation on the project finances and budget, followed by a presentation on roles, responsibilities, and tasks to be implemented and delivered by each partner – according to the different work packages, as well as how the team will measure success. The communication and dissemination plan and the project’s visual identity were discussed.

An action plan for Work packages 2 and 4 on Mapping the European practice of volunteering in probation and Community-Based Organisations capacity-building were respectively presented and agreed upon by the group.

The next face-to-face meeting is planned for September 2023 at the University College Cork, Ireland. In the meantime, several online meetings will take place to follow-up on the implementation process of the project.

CEP will be regularly publishing outcomes and the latest news of the project through its website and social media. The project also includes the organization of numerous dissemination events in different EU Member States as well as a final international conference in The Netherlands.

If you are interested in the different phases of the project, outcomes and final results stick around!