In August 2011 the cooperation between PH International and “Embarquement Immédiat”, a Belgian NGO resulted in development of reparatory works for four juvenile offenders from Armenia and Belgium to be realized in the summer camp organized by “Armenian Camp”, an NGO promoting social integration of disabled children. Four juveniles, accompanied with ZANG CJC mentor and an educator from Belgium, spent five days volunteering and assisting camp counselors and children in daily activities. The participants of this project shared their experience on PH International web site http://www.ph-int.org/success_story/pr0/48/.

Mariam Martirosyan, Country Director of PH's Armenia office was interviewed by the Human Rights in Armenia online newsletter 

Currently there are eight CJCs working towards the promotion of the restorative justice principles in Armenia. They all are hosted and operated by various NGOs or child development community centers established in seven different regions of Armenia, still closely and regularly cooperate with each other. Six of the mentioned CJCs were established by PH ZANG program and form a well-developed working network.

On September 26 the Penal Reform International Armenia office, which has recently launched a new program – Juvenile Justice Project – had requested a joint event with Project Harmony Armenia ZANG program staff to share the ideas and best practices obtained by PH since the start of ZANG project implementation.

On May 24, 2011 one more Community Justice Center opened in Armenia as a result of successful partnership between PH International and World Vision (WV). The new ZANG CJC was established in Kapan city, under the auspices of the local Community Child Development Center where the Restorative board, trained by PH International, will provide reparative services to the local youth with delinquent behavior.

On October 18-19, PH International organized training on mentorship for the board members of the ZANG Community Justice Centers (CJC) and university students. The training was facilitated by an educational expert from International Center for Human Development, Christina Sargsyan. The training sessions discussed the definition of mentoring, role of the mentors in the CJC reparative activities, mentoring skills and how to start and facilitate the whole mentoring process.

On September 22, Armenian Police and Ministry of Education and Science in collaboration with PH International officially launched the School Resource Officers’ initiative in Armenia as part of the State Policy of Crime Prevention National Plan. The pilot phase includes SROs’ placement in 10 Yerevan high schools (schools # 119, 127, 118, 198, 139, 184, 105, 65, 29, and 114). The SROs will work closely with the school administration and school teachers to foster safe learning environment at schools and positive relationship with youth. They will also help identify at risk youth and assist with intervention before serious problems occur. As part of their activities, the SROs together with the school teachers will teach students ZANG legal socialization classes.

From August 19 – August 29 a group of 3 ZANG project key ministerial partners Nelli Duryan, Head of Juvenile Police Department, RA Police, Lala Ghazaryan, Head of Department of Protection of Children, Women and Families, RA Ministry of Labour and Social Issues; Narine Hovhannisyan, Head of the General Education Department of the RA Ministry for Education and Science, together with ZANG Program Manager Armine Sukiasyan and PHI Armenia Country Director Mariam Martirosyan travelled to the U.S. to work with their American counterparts in a 10-day exchange program.

On June 28-29, PHI staff participated in a workshop conducted by World Vision Middle East & Eastern Europe Regional office Advocacy Officer Eve Jolly. The workshop aimed to develop Advocacy Strategies for Juvenile Justice Reforms in Armenia. Two days of the workshop were devoted to designing a clear strategy and plan of action for RA Government funding of CJCs.

On April 28, 2010 as a result of successful partnership between PH International ZANG Armenia Legal Socialization Program and “Reforming Juvenile Justice System in Armenia to support deinstitutionalization” project funded World Vision’s Middle East and Eastern Europe Regional Office the 7th Community Justice Center (CJC) was established in the town of Talin, Aragatson region. Like the other CJCs, established in 6 communities, the opening of newly founded center enforced within Armenia’s National Program of Child Protection, implemented by the Armenian Police, and act to provide restorative justice responses to youth reported in non-violent crimes, as well as with full support and engagement of parents and community members they serve to increase public safety and reduce juvenile crime rate in the Republic of Armenia.