CoPPer stands for Cooperation to Promote a European Volunteering Training Programme in Probations Services. Despite the differences in various European Probation Services, this training was developed from a common ground competences identified for volunteers in probation work.

For the training creation, a Competency Framework was tailored based on 3 clusters/questions:

Attitude and Qualities - how should the volunteer position himself?

Knowledge - what should the volunteer know?

Skills - how should the volunteer act?

As result, this “Core Competences for Volunteers in Probation” training focuses on the basic principles of probation and equipping the volunteers with a set of knowledge and skills, combined with qualities, and attitudes which are the basis for the expected conduct that enables volunteers to carry out the voluntary work at a certain level within the domain of the probation organization.

Target group: the target group of this training course is volunteers who are involved or intend to be involved as volunteers within Probation Services.

The course will be conducted in a blended-learning format. Module 1 is asynchronous online (consisting of viewing content and activities on a Learning Management System) and can be followed at home. Modules 2, 3, 4 and 5 are synchronous face-to-face. All of these last four modules will begin with a webinar common to all countries, introducing the topic and lasting an average of 20 minutes. In person training lasts 4 hours, in total.

The 5 modules are:

Knowledge of the professional field (e-learning)

Relational skills (in person)

Communication skills (in person)

Observation and signalling (in person)

Problem-solving ability (in person)

By the end of the training, participants should be able to:


Get to know more about probation organization, understand the structure of the organization, its Mission and Vision, as well as its main tasks

Distinguish the Role and tasks of the probation officer and of the volunteer and how they work together

Know Professional partners of the probation service and the main procedure of the criminal justice system

Identify the basic principles of probation as the development of criminal behaviour, reducing criminal behaviour and most common offences

Understanding about the aspects and importance of the relationship and attitude

Understand how to connect with the probation client, and the concept of working alliance

Have a better understanding of the skills involved in effective communication, by appropriating principles and techniques of communication.

know difference between facts and prejudices.

Analyse client needs and have a solution orientated attitude

Experience the difference between problem-oriented questions and solution-oriented questions.