In co-operation between the Ministry of Justice and the Council of Europe and due to the efforts of the Probation Service, “Centre for the Implementation of Legal Education and Rehabilitation Programs” SNCO a “Vocational Training Centre” for probation beneficiaries has been opened in Ararat marz, as informed by the Ministry of Justice.

Mr Grigor Minasyan, Acting Minister of Justice, Ms Arpine Sargsyan, Deputy Minister and Ms Martina Schmidt, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan, Mr Gevorg Simonyan, Head of the Probation Service, Mr Dzonik Margaryan, Director of the “Centre for the Implementation of Legal Education and Rehabilitation Programs” SNCO and other high officials were present at the opening of the centre.

Mr Grigor Minasyan emphasized the importance of this centre since it will enable the Probation beneficiaries to reintegrate into the society, acquire new professions and find jobs. “This is a pilot project. We aim to have similar centres in the other marzes as well. In the course of the preliminary conversation with the probation beneficiaries, the four professions in high demand in today’s labour market were chosen.

Mr Minasyan thanked Ms Martina Schmidt, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan, for the great support provided to this initiative.

Mr Gevorg Simonyan, Head of the Probation Service, during the tour presented the new centre and the obtained new equipment with the help pf which the probation beneficiaries will have an opportunity to get new professions. “In this centre 30 beneficiaries can get trained and later will apply their knowledge in practice.”

Qualified specialist will deliver courses on “Furniture making basics”, “Sewing basics”, “Cosmetology skills” and “Hairdressing skills” in classrooms equipped with professional tools and equipment provided under the Council of Europe Project “Support to Scaling up of the Probation Service in Armenia”.

The Council of Europe supports Armenia’s Probation Service within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2019-2022.

“According to the Law “On Probation” the Probation Service develops and implements training and professional programmes, as well as undertakes various measures contributing to employment with the aim of resocialisation of probation beneficiaries.

The opening of the Vocational Training Centre is part of Armenia’s new policy of the transition in the criminal justice field from the punishing policy into the rehabilitation justice where the rehabilitation of offenders and their reintegration into the society are seen as mandatory components”, says in the report.