23 newly recruited probation counsellors from 16 Territorial Probation Offices of the Republic of Moldova enhanced knowledge and understanding of their duties in a 4-day initial training session delivered as a pilot by a team of trainers from the National Probation Inspectorate (NPI).

The pilot session was held in Chisinau on 26-29 June 2023 based on the Curriculum for the initial training of probation counsellors developed with the Council of Europe’s support and approved by the NPI. The aim of the event was to facilitate professional integration of probation counsellors that recently joined the probation service and to develop their skills in psychosocial evaluation, assistance, counselling and supervision of offenders in the community. Thus, the participants enhanced their knowledge of theoretical and practical issues encountered by probation counsellors in the daily activity, such as the tactics of negotiation, influence and persuasion, the technique of drafting psychosocial evaluation reports and other documents related to probation work, and prevention of professional burnout.

The event was facilitated by Council of Europe consultants who supervised the session and provided valuable feedback and further guidance for future sessions to the NPI team of trainers. The trainers themselves had been trained to deliver the initial training course for probation counsellors with the Council of Europe’s support in December 2022.

The NPI managers expressed their firm commitment to continue the delivery of the initial training programme to probation counsellors, in order to ensure professional development of probation staff in line with the Council of Europe’s Guidelines for the Recruitment, Selection, Education, Training and Professional Development of Prison and Probation Staff.

The activity was organised under the auspices of the Project “Strengthening the prison and probation reforms, provision of health care and the treatment of patients in closed institutions in the Republic of Moldova”, financed through the Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova (2021-2024) and implemented by the Council of Europe.