European Strategies Consulting

Imagine standing in front of a client who says:
👉 “I’ll never find a job.”
👉 “Everyone is against me.”
👉 “It’s not a big deal…”

Now imagine being able to practice your response — safely, step by step — and instantly see how your words change motivation, trust, and outcomes.
That’s exactly what these VR scenarios are designed to do.

Through immersive experiences, professionals can:
- Learn how to guide conversations without judging
- Practice asking the right questions (not just giving advice)
- Recognise thinking traps like “I’ll always fail” or “there’s no point trying”
- Build trust while still challenging harmful behaviour
- See in real time how empathy can increase motivation for change

And maybe the most powerful insight?
👉 Change doesn’t happen when we tell people what to do.
👉 It happens when they start seeing things differently themselves.

Because in the end, it’s not about giving answers — it’s about helping people find their own way out of the “labyrinth.”

💬 If you work with people in challenging situations — how do you approach difficult conversations?

Co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Programme.

What if prisons could become places where sustainability meets second chances?
We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming webinar: “From Custody to Green Skills: Sustainability Pathways in European Prisons”
📅 April 14th
⏰ 12:00 – 13:15 CET

This session will introduce the GreenPP project – an innovative European initiative working to:
✔️ promote sustainable practices in prisons
✔️ equip individuals with green skills for reintegration
✔️ build bridges between correctional systems and the green labour market

You’ll also get a first look at insights from the European Mapping of Green Practices in prisons 🌍
💡 Whether you work in justice, education, policy, or sustainability — this conversation matters.

👉 Save your spot here: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=e0Gnjsdm6UmH7Bi33FRncunrlmSZJkNBlLlMdYtAdi5UQU5HQlpYWTNaVVJNSjVQQjhBU1NKSlE1SC4u&route=shorturl

Let’s rethink rehabilitation. Let’s build greener futures. ♻️

How do we protect places of worship in a world where risks are constantly evolving?
A new article developed within the PARTES project explores this important question — going beyond extremism and focusing on practical, community-oriented approaches to security.

📖 Read the full blog here:
https://www.scenor.at/post/securing-places-of-worship-beyond-extremism
The piece highlights the need to move from reactive measures to preventive, inclusive strategies that strengthen both safety and trust within communities.
Strengthening resilience therefore depends on routine prevention, better reporting practices and cooperation between communities and authorities.

💬 What role do you think communities should play in ensuring safer spaces?

European Commission

📍 Bucharest | 23–27 March 2026
The final days of the training “Developing Core Probation & Correctional Skills Through Practice and VR Scenarios” brought deeper learning, practical application, and meaningful reflection, further strengthening the skills of professionals from Romania and Croatia, working in both probation and prison systems.

🔹 Day 3 – Problem Solving
Participants explored structured approaches to problem solving, from recognising and defining problems to generating solutions, analysing options, and evaluating outcomes.
Through VR scenarios such as “Breathing exercises” and “Finding a job”, participants practiced real-life situations, enhancing their ability to support behavioural change in a safe and controlled environment, followed by guided debriefing sessions.

🔹 Day 4 – Motivational Interviewing
The focus shifted to motivational interviewing techniques, with sessions on recognising and responding to change talk, offering advice in an MI-consistent manner, and building discrepancy.
Interactive VR scenarios allowed participants to practice these skills in realistic conversations, strengthening their ability to engage clients and support internal motivation for change.

🔹 Day 5 – Cognitive-Behavioural Interventions
The final day addressed key cognitive-behavioural tools, including the ABC model, identifying cognitive distortions, and applying techniques such as Socratic questioning and behavioural experimentation.
Participants once again engaged in VR-based practice, consolidating their learning through immersive scenarios and reflective discussions.

This training demonstrated the powerful impact of combining evidence-based methods with innovative VR technology. By integrating practice, reflection, and immersive learning, participants developed practical skills that can be directly applied in their daily work with justice-involved individuals.
Beyond skill development, the training fostered international collaboration, exchange of expertise, and a shared commitment to improving rehabilitation practices across systems.

This training was implemented in partnership with becure, and the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation of the Republic of Croatia.
🇪🇺 Co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Programme.

📍 Bucharest | 23–27 March 2026

The training “Developing Core Probation & Correctional Skills Through Practice and VR Scenarios” is in full swing, bringing together specialists from Romania and Croatia, representing both probation and prison systems, in a dynamic and collaborative learning environment.

🔹 Day 1 – Introduction & VR Foundations
The training started with an overview of objectives and expectations, followed by an exploration of how Virtual Reality (VR) can enhance professional skill development in probation and correctional work. Participants were introduced to both the strengths and limitations of VR-based practice and how these immersive scenarios can be effectively linked to real-life interventions.
The day continued with a hands-on technical session, where participants familiarized themselves with VR equipment, and a workbook-guided exercise focused on setting personal learning goals and preparing for the practice–VR–debrief learning cycle.

🔹 Day 2 – Prosocial Modelling in Practice
Today’s sessions focused on one of the core competencies in probation work: prosocial modelling. Participants explored how to identify and reinforce prosocial behaviour, as well as how to effectively confront antisocial behaviour using structured approaches.
A key highlight was the integration of VR scenarios, such as “Confronting with Care”, allowing participants to practice real-life interactions in a safe, controlled environment, followed by reflective debrief discussions.

💡 The combination of experiential learning, structured reflection, and innovative VR technology creates a powerful environment for developing essential skills in working with justice-involved individuals.

🤝 This training is implemented in partnership with European Strategies Consulting, bc becure, and the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation of the Republic of Croatia.

🇪🇺 Co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Programme.

We look forward to the next sessions. Stay tuned!

Through GreenPP, we’ve just started examining how sustainability is actually happening inside Romanian prisons.
And here’s what we’re discovering:
🌱 Vegetables grown inside prison farms and gardens
🔆 Investments in solar energy systems
🧑‍🌾 Training programmes in plant cultivation and green space maintenance
🗑️ Recycling systems implemented as part of daily operations

These initiatives may seem technical. But their impact is human. For many incarcerated people, green activities mean:
— structured time
— practical skills
— responsibility
— contact with nature
— better chances after release

Of course, challenges remain. The real question is no longer “Is it possible?” But rather: ”How do we move from isolated projects… to a coherent green strategy?”

We’re excited to continue this journey and share what we learn along the way. 🌍

With J-CAP NEXT, the focus is on strengthening judicial cooperation in Europe through the upgrade of the European Probation Software (EPS 3.0) — supporting mutual recognition of probation measures and alternative sanctions across EU Member States

Why does this matter? Because when judicial systems communicate better:
✔️ Procedures become more efficient
✔️ Decisions are implemented faster
✔️ Cooperation becomes smoother
✔️ Fundamental rights are better protected

What’s interesting is that even the new visual identity reflects these values.
🟢 Green tones symbolise sustainability, growth and long-term collaboration
🔗 Interconnected shapes represent unity and seamless judicial workflows
⚖️ The continuity in design keeps the project rooted in its legacy, while clearly signalling evolution and innovation

This is not just a visual refresh.
It’s a statement about where European judicial cooperation is heading: more connected, more efficient, more future-oriented.

Digital tools don’t replace justice.
They help it work better.

From 24–26 February, our team at European Strategies Consulting participated in the Social Bugs Project Training of Trainers — and we’re coming back with fresh ideas and new perspectives.

The training was hosted at Aproximar’s headquarters in Lisbon, and we would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Aproximar team for their excellent organization and warm hospitality.

During these three days, we worked on topics that are essential for anyone building a social venture:
🧠 Understanding real Product–Market Fit
⚖️ Making decisions in uncertain environments
🌍 Creating sustainable impact through social entrepreneurship

One of the most interesting discussions revolved around innovation in the edible insect sector — a field that challenges assumptions, consumer perceptions, and traditional business models.

Grateful for the learning, the exchange of ideas, and the inspiring conversations. Now it’s time to put everything into practice!

Most security strategies focus on institutions. PARTESS-COM is doing something slightly different. 🌍
Instead of limiting protection to authorities or security experts, the project builds a model where communities and everyday citizens become part of the solution.

One of the key components? A digital platform and mobile app designed to:
🔎 Gather and organise existing security tools and best practices from across Europe
📚 Make them accessible in a clear, practical and user-friendly way
🤝 Connect religious communities, local authorities and experts
📲 Allow citizens to report security-relevant incidents around places of worship and schools

Why is this important? Because threats today don’t exist only in official reports. They evolve quickly, blur the line between online and offline spaces, and are often first noticed by people on the ground.

Security is no longer just reactive. It becomes participatory, structured and shared.
And maybe that’s exactly what today’s complex threat landscape requires.

In probation work, technical knowledge alone is not enough. Real impact comes from how professionals build relationships, guide behaviour, and manage difficult conversations.

Within Project VR, we focus on strengthening core correctional skills that shape daily supervision practice:
🔹 Working Alliance – building trust even in involuntary contexts, clarifying roles, repairing ruptures and aligning goals.
🔹 Prosocial Modelling – demonstrating respect, fairness and accountability in every interaction.
🔹 Problem Solving – helping clients move from impulsive reactions to structured, reflective decision-making.
🔹 Motivational Interviewing – working with ambivalence instead of confronting it.
🔹 Cognitive-Behavioural approaches – understanding how thoughts, emotions and behaviour interact in high-risk situations.

These skills are not abstract concepts. They influence how probation officers respond to resistance, manage breaches, reinforce positive behaviour, and support long-term desistance.
What makes the approach within Project VR particularly relevant is the integration of experiential learning — allowing professionals to practise micro-skills in realistic scenarios and reflect on their responses in a structured way.

Can prisons be part of the green transition? This is the question we’ve just started exploring in Romania through the GreenPP project.

Over the past weeks, we began examining green and sustainable practices across the Romanian prison system — a system that includes 45 correctional facilities and over 25,000 incarcerated people.

There is no dedicated national sustainability strategy for prisons yet. But green practices already exist.
🔋 Photovoltaic parks are being developed in several facilities
♻️ Selective waste collection is implemented nationwide
🌿 Prison gardens contribute to internal food supply
📚 Environmental education and green skills training programmes are running in multiple institutions

At the same time, prisons operate under real structural pressure:
🏢 Ageing infrastructure
👥 Overcrowding
⚙️ Limited operational flexibility

That’s why this examination matters. Because sustainability in detention settings is not just about reducing emissions.

We are currently mapping practices, identifying barriers, and looking at what could be scaled systemically.
This is only the beginning — but it already shows that green transition in prisons is not a theoretical discussion. It’s a practical opportunity!

From 24–26 February, our team at European Strategies Consulting will be in Lisbon participating in a Training of Trainers within the Social Bugs Project.

This ToT will explore essential topics for building sustainable social ventures, including: product–market fit, decision-making & risk management, and social entrepreneurship in the edible insect sector.

In today’s rapidly changing environment, launching a social venture requires more than a strong idea. It demands resilience, structured risk management, and a deep understanding of market realities.

We are looking forward to exchanging knowledge, strengthening our expertise, and bringing back valuable insights to support innovative and impact-driven initiatives!