Projects
CEP matchmaker project
CEP Matchmaker Project brings together individuals, teams, organisations, or groups among CEP members with a shared professional interest. Through peer-to-peer links and activities, the aim is to provide opportunities for sharing, exchanging and learning together as well as potential other benefits.
In the Matchmaker Project, an individual or team of officers with a particular curiosity or expertise in a field of work can ask CEP to make contact with colleagues to establish a link with others with shared interests or knowledge. For example, teams working in a rural area, with prisoners on release from custody or supervising older persons could seek others sharing similar challenges in other jurisdictions to share experiences, learn from each other and establish their own engagement.
The Confederation of European Probation (CEP) was established in 1981 as a network of European probation organisations to share knowledge, exchange expertise and support developments in the field of community sanctions in Europe.
CEP members and their staff represent a unique reservoir of knowledge and expertise about positive ways of working with people who offend to promote rehabilitation, reduce re-offending and make communities safer. Most importantly, CEP facilitates its members in working together, sharing expertise, learning with and supporting each other.
During the Covid-19 Pandemic, CEP and its members were innovators in sustaining that positive engagement and sharing. Social media, new technology, greatly increased levels of remote working and online meetings and conversations have sustained that contact. The CEP newsletter features working during Covid-19 and, more recently, the Day in the Life of a Probation Officer articles that have attracted huge readerships and exceptional interest. There is a clear strong desire among CEP members to learn more about how others, in similar posts, work and live in other countries.
The CEP Matchmaker Project has been developed from ideas and suggestions by CEP members. It seeks to harness that curiosity and use the new communications media to facilitate direct contact, sharing of experiences and learning opportunities among members.
In the Matchmaker Project CEP will act as a contact point and matchmaker between interested members and their staff to bring people together. It will establish contacts and links between services, teams or individuals with common interests and curiosity to meet up with each other to share and explore experiences together. Once in contact, the members will determine the topics, mode of contact, level of engagement and any development.
If you or your organisation are interested in participating in the Matchmaker Project please contact the CEP secretariat: secr@cep-probation.org.
CEP is ready to facilitate and provide support for exchanging and mutual learning!
Our knowledge of Interagency Coorperation
Related News
Check out the latest news and updates on this project’s focus area.
CEP Board
Interview with new CEP board member Žilvinas Miliauskas
17/03/2026
During the General Assembly in Austria, a new CEP Board got elected for the upcoming three years. In the coming weeks we will publish interviews with all newly-elected board members where they will share information on their professional background, how they would like to contribute, what challenges lie ahead and many more.
Enjoy reading!
Violent Extremism
Recap: Expert Group meeting on Violent Extremism
16/03/2026
On 12–13 March 2026, the Expert Group on Violent Extremism convened for an in‑person meeting in Bucharest, Romania. Hosted at the University of Bucharest, the meeting brought together practitioners and representatives from across Europe to finalise the overview of best practices for preventive interventions targeting juveniles and young adults up to the age of 26 under probation. Building on the extensive discussions and progress made in 2025, the group worked collaboratively to bring the document to completion.
Electronic monitoring
Recap: CEP Expert Group meeting at ATGV Antalya
12/03/2026
The CEP Expert Group on Electronic Monitoring, along with representatives of the CEP Office led by Mr. Daniel Danglades, CEP Vice-President, visited the Education and Social Facility of the Ministry of Justice in Türkiye – ATGV Antalya. The host country was represented by a high-level delegation, including Deputy Director General Mr. Fatih Güngör, Head of the Turkish Probation Department Dr. Hüseyin Şık, Member of the CEP EM Expert Group Ms. Elçin Kilecioğlu, as well as the Director and representatives of the ATGV facility, and officials from the courts, prosecution, and probation services in Antalya.
Education and Training
Recap: CEP Expert Network on Education and Training in Probation meets with the European Commission to discuss the EU Judicial Training Strategy
11/03/2026
On 11 March 2026, the CEP Expert Network on Education and Training in Probation met online with more than 20 participants from Belgium, Denmark, Sweeden, France, Romania, Croatia, Catalonia, Poland, United Kingdom and Türkiye to exchange views with the European Commission on the newly adopted EU Judicial Training Strategy 2025–2030.
The meeting provided a valuable opportunity for representatives of probation training institutions across Europe to engage directly with European Commission officials and discuss how the strategy may impact the training of probation and prison staff in the coming years.
Women, youth
Understanding the needs of girls and young women in youth justice
10/03/2026
New research highlights the underlying needs that influence girls’ and young women’s contact with youth justice systems and calls for more gender responsive approaches in policy and practice. Drawing on a review of recent studies, the authors identify several factors shaping girls’ pathways into the justice system, including persistent abuse, trauma, gendered expectations, and systemic failures. Girls involved in youth justice are often affected by multiple forms of victimisation, such as sexual abuse, neglect, and domestic violence, with experiences frequently beginning in early childhood.
CEP Board
Interview with new CEP board member Ian Barrow
09/03/2026
During the General Assembly in Austria, a new CEP Board got elected for the upcoming three years. In the coming weeks we will publish interviews with all newly-elected board members where they will share information on their professional background, how they would like to contribute, what challenges lie ahead and many more.
Enjoy reading!
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