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New coaching and mentoring approach strengthens Armenia’s Probation Service

The Armenian Probation Service built its internal capacity through a new peer coaching and mentoring approach that is helping their staff build professional skills, improve resilience and apply evidence-based methods more effectively.

Piloted since September 2025 in Yerevan and regional offices, the programme engaged 81 probation staff and demonstrated clear benefits for their day-to-day practice. Participants strengthened key competencies including core correctional skills, cognitive behavioural approaches, and effective communication techniques, contributing to more consistent and effective probation work.

A key result of the initiative was the development of internal expertise to sustain the programme over time. Fifteen staff members were certified as coaches, mentors and trainers for their colleagues, laying the foundation for the programme’s wider roll-out within the Probation Service.

The certification was organised following a two-day refresher Training of Trainers held on 3-4 April 2026, which helped consolidate the experience gained during the pilot phase, capture key lessons learnt, and refine the programme for future implementation.

Following the successful pilot, the coaching and mentoring programme will continue to be implemented across Armenia, including as a training component for Probation Service staff. This marks an important step towards a more resilient, skilled and self-sustaining probation service in Armenia.

The activity was organised with the support of  the Council of Europe Project “Further Strengthening the Probation Service in Armenia” financed and implemented through the Council of Europe Action Plan Armenia (2023 – 2026).

YEREVAN, ARMENIA 3-4 APRIL 2026
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What is the goal and objective of the project?

Building upon the results achieved from the implementation of the Projects “Support the scaling-up of the probation service in Armenia” and “Strengthening the Probation Service in Armenia”, the Project “Further Strengthening the Probation Service in Armenia” financed by the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023 – 2026 assists national authorities in facilitating the use of probation services in the country, thus enhancing community safety and the fair administration of justice.

It is implemented in close cooperation and partnership with the Ministry of Justice and State Probation Service, as well as other national stakeholders, including civil society organisations active in the area of probation.

The envisaged changes will support the Armenian authorities to align the legislation and practice with Council of Europe standards, such us, inter alia Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)1 on the Council of Europe Probation Rules and Recommendation CM/Rec(2017)3 on the European Rules on community sanctions and measures.

 Start date: 1 January 2025

 Duration: 24 months

 Funding: EUR 500,000,  Donors contributing to the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023–2026 

Contact person: Mr Arman Poghosyan, Senior Project Officer

 

Who benefits from the project?
  • Ministry of Justice
  • State Probation Service staff
  • Penitentiary Service staff
  • Centre for the Implementation of Legal Education and Rehabilitation Programmes SNCO staff
  • judges and other legal professionals
  • general public
How does the project work?

The Project will follow the main Council of Europe principles throughout its intervention.

Namely, the Probation Service shall aim to reduce reoffending by establishing positive relationships with probationers in order to supervise, guide and assist them and to promote their successful social inclusion. All interventions will be in line with Council of Europe human rights standards and shall have due regard to the dignity, health, safety and well-being of probationers, and it must take full account of the individual characteristics, circumstances and needs of each specific offender in order to ensure that each case is dealt with justly and fairly. Probation service shall work in partnership with other public or private organisations, civil society organisations and local communities to promote the social inclusion of probationers. Co-ordinated and complementary inter-agency and inter-disciplinary work is necessary to undertake to meet often complex needs of probationers and to enhance community safety.

What do we expect to achieve?
  • strengthening the Probation Service through necessary tools and capacity building interventions-new training programme will be developed and support will be provided to enhance E-probation and application of risk and needs assessment tool as well as pre-release reports;
  • improving inter-agency cooperation -regular inter-agency information sharing and coordination meetings as well as workshops will be conducted to ensure effective implementation of the Probation functions;
  • improving resocialisation and rehabilitation measures - support will be provided to strengthen the pool of rehabilitation and resocialisation programmes and ensure coordination with the key stakeholders;
  • Improving regulatory framework on the Probation Service in line with the international standards and best practices in Europe-technical support and expertise will ensure that the pending legislative initiatives are assessed against the CoE standards.
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