Projects
Dialogue Trainer – CEP Simulations
CEP has launched the initiative to strengthen training and education of probation workers in the different EU member states. The CEP aims for a more permanent network of organizations to exchange expertise on pre-employment training and in-career further professional development in probation.
The general objective of the project
The general objective of the project was to develop one simulation per country, based on the principle of creating an effective working alliance between probation workers and clients. Effective in the sense that the working alliance matches the dual role of control and support that characterizes the work of community supervision of clients. The combination of counseling and control requires extra attention in establishing a working alliance.
In working with mandated (involuntary) clients, goals can differ, and clients can show reactance against the constraints. Therefore, one cannot presume the intention of the client to collaborate from the start. This is one of the key features of probation that is addressed in this project: how to learn to build an effective working alliance from the start of a professional-client relationship that fits the dual role of control and support that characterizes the work of community supervision.
Simulations were experienced as an effective training intervention, as they allow professionals to gain experience with the dynamics of building a working alliance in a safe learning environment that adds measurement.
Project execution
In the period from March to November 2022, a pilot project was done to create simulations on the DialogueTrainer platform with four European member states: Estonia, Romania, Finland and Catalunya.
The objective of this project was to:
- To create four online, playable conversation simulations in local languages, with English translations;
- To learn how online conversation training is appreciated by players and what they learn from playing.
To include local expertise, experts from the member states were trained to develop simulations on the platform, guided by professionals from the HU – Hogeschool Utrecht – and DialogueTrainer. These simulations were consecutively tested with 10-50 participants per local organization to evaluate effects and appreciation as a learning tool.
As a common context, the cases were defined as ‘getting to an agreement for a community supervision plan’ for a medium-risk client without predominating addiction or mental health problems. Combined with local expertise, two overarching principles were chosen which the simulations gave feedback about, namely:
- Building an effective working alliance;
- Using the principles of Motivational Interviewing.
As a result of the project, a learning module was created which includes the four local simulations including translations in English.
Do you want to try it for yourself? Play a scenario:
On 25th November 2022 the Dialogue Training meeting took place in Utrecht. The coordinators from the involved countries (Finland, Estonia, Spain-Catalonia, Romania) met to discuss the results and the future of the project.
You can find the final report here.
For more information please contact CEP Secretariat at secr@cep-probation.org.
Our knowledge of Education and Training
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The General Assembly takes place every three years. The last General Assembly was held on 15 October 2025 in Vienna, Austria.
The CEP Board has a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer and a maximum of eight ordinary Board members. The General Assembly elects the President, two Vice-Presidents and a minimum of three and a maximum of five other board members from among its members. Three members may be appointed by the Board from among the full or associated members to ensure that the specific expertise and interests are represented. The Board appoints the Treasurer, who can be a board member or an ex-officio board member of which an explanation is given in the internal regulations.
CEP Events, CEP members, Gender-based violence
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From 14 to 16 October 2025, Vienna hosted the 15th CEP General Assembly and the CEP International Conference on Gender-Based Violence in Probation: Challenges and Lessons Learned. The event, organized in cooperation with NEUSTART, brought together over 100 CEP members, probation professionals, policymakers, and researchers from across Europe to reflect, exchange experiences, and discuss the topic of gender-based violence from the perspective of probation, restorative justice and prison.
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▶️ Watch the full interview (English with German subtitles) below
Framework Decisions
CEP Updates Framework Decision 947 Guides
06/10/2025
CEP has released updated versions of its guides for persons under probation supervision and for probation staff, reflecting its continued commitment to cross-border cooperation in criminal justice. These revisions aim to promote broader use of Framework Decision 947, which facilitates the mutual recognition of probation measures and alternative sanctions across EU member states.
The guides are to be found here.
ITSCCS
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03/10/2025
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