In the Matchmaker Project, an individual or team of officers with a particular curiosity or expertise in a field of work can ask CEP to make contact with colleagues to establish a link with others with shared interests or knowledge. For example, teams working in a rural area, with prisoners on release from custody or supervising older persons could seek others sharing similar challenges in other jurisdictions to share experiences, learn from each other and establish their own engagement.

The Confederation of European Probation (CEP) was established in 1981 as a network of European probation organisations to share knowledge, exchange expertise and support developments in the field of community sanctions in Europe.

CEP members and their staff represent a unique reservoir of knowledge and expertise about positive ways of working with people who offend to promote rehabilitation, reduce re-offending and make communities safer. Most importantly, CEP facilitates its members in working together, sharing expertise, learning with and supporting each other.

During the Covid-19 Pandemic, CEP and its members were innovators in sustaining that positive engagement and sharing. Social media, new technology, greatly increased levels of remote working and online meetings and conversations have sustained that contact. The CEP newsletter features working during Covid-19 and, more recently, the Day in the Life of a Probation Officer articles that have attracted huge readerships and exceptional interest. There is a clear strong desire among CEP members to learn more about how others, in similar posts, work and live in other countries.

The CEP Matchmaker Project has been developed from ideas and suggestions by CEP members. It seeks to harness that curiosity and use the new communications media to facilitate direct contact, sharing of experiences and learning opportunities among members.

In the Matchmaker Project CEP will act as a contact point and matchmaker between interested members and their staff to bring people together. It will establish contacts and links between services, teams or individuals with common interests and curiosity to meet up with each other to share and explore experiences together. Once in contact, the members will determine the topics, mode of contact, level of engagement and any development.

If you or your organisation are interested in participating in the Matchmaker Project please contact the CEP secretariat: secr@cep-probation.org.

CEP is ready to facilitate and provide support for exchanging and mutual learning!