Developing trainings of probation workers

Monday, 11 January 2016 09:55 |

Within Project “European Standards in Probation Training” a survey and assessment of the probation workers’ needs of training were conducted as well as an analysis of the active training programmes in Directorate General “Execution of Punishments”, Sector “Probation”. The survey was conducted through inquiries, focus groups, and structured interviews with workers and managers in the probation offices. There was also an analysis of the active training programmes and the available Master’s programmes preparing specialists for work in the probation field, which are provided by various universities in Bulgaria. On the basis of the received results, the following conclusions were drawn:

In the first place, there is a need of actualizing the programme for initial training with subjects which are related to the probation personnel’s work. In the second place, there is a need of developing a complete and consistent system of permanent training related to the specificity of the activity and the workers’ needs, which includes subjects and examples from real life experience as well as exchange of international experience.

There is also a need of developing and endorsing a complete training programme following the workers’ needs with a view to increase their efficiency.

The main goal of the training programme is to provide a systematic, complete, and efficient approach to the training, facilitating the workers in their acquiring knowledge and skills which are necessary for their successful conduction of professional duties and are in accordance with their necessities and the good European practices.

The structure of the complete programme includes 3 separate trainings: Training of people who will subsequently conduct the probation workers’ trainings; Training for increasing the professional competencies of the probation workers; Continuing training of the probation workers.

The target group of the trainings is workers who have done more than 5 years of service in the probation system, who have finished an initial training and a training for increasing professional competencies. The methodology of the training includes various methods consistent with the workers’ needs and with the good practices in the training of adults: presentations, solving cases, discussions, brain attacks, role games, debates, lectures, etc.