England & Wales

SEMINAR: Moving On From Prevent: Radicalisation & Community Engagement

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Description:

In the UK, a key part of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy is called Prevent. It is a programme aimed at stopping more people getting drawn towards violent extremism. Yet some argue that it is failing because it is seen as targeting one community and the problem is that regardless of best intentions, if the programme is widely perceived as being discriminatory then it inevitably runs the risk of failure.

This Seminar looks at the problems of the Government’s Prevent strategy and how we can address them at a local level through the work of communities and local authorities. How do we win the hearts and minds of young people without them feeling they are being targeted,how do we equip our young people with the critical thinking to assess radicalised messages so to be able to challenge them and how do we create links between communities to create the context in which to do this?

These are the critical questions because the government’s counter-terrorism strategy has been remarkably successful at the level of security and the basic protection of British citizens with any number of plots foiled and people brought to justice but at the level of affecting hearts and minds for the better it has been largely unsuccessful.”

This workshop will focus on how we move from Prevent as a tool to counter security to one where we engage young people through dialogue and good practice. We will have some major speakers outlining the deficits in the Prevent Strategy and how these need to be confronted and we will have some case studies of good practice. We will also have space to develop our own ideas and to map ways forward.

Participants of this workshop will gain:

  • An understanding of the Prevent Strategy, its strengths and weaknesses
  • The role of the local authority, educational institutions and the voluntary sector
  • An understanding the importance of cultural engagement
  • The value of dialogue and community conversations
  • The importance of social networking
  • Timely feedback and next steps

 

Programme*

The morning session will examine the Prevent strategy and consider both its strengths and weaknesses, It will look at how we can move from security and surveillance methods to community engagement and the winning of “hearts and minds.” There will also be space and time for those there to contribute with their own idea and experience in working groups.

The afternoon session will look at case studies of engagement and cultural awareness with emphasis on how such models can be replicated within our own authorities and communities.

 

 

09:30 Coffee and Registration

10:00 Introduction to day and overview (Francis Sealey, GlobalNet21)

10.05 Skype Interview (Yvonne Ridley) on “Mind Set & Radicalisation: Why Do Young People Become Radicalised”

10:15 Questions to Speaker

10:30 Introducing Ourselves

10:45 Speake on The Prevent Strategy – The Role of The Local Authority, Parents & The Community. Speaker Marisa De Jager

11:05 Speaker 2 The Need To Engage “Hearts & Minds.” (Erin Saltman)

11:25 Questions to speakers

11:45 Open Session – Discussion Around Attendees Experience and Ideas

12:15 Lunch

12:45 Overview of Afternoon (Francis Sealey)

12:50 Case Study 1 Criminalisation & Radicalisation – Preventing at Community Level – Speaker Mandy Sanghera. This will look at how people get victimised through cultural factors such as abuse, forced marriages and often end up in the criminal justice system where radicalisation can take place.

13:10 Case Study 2 Hanif Qadir Active Change Foundation

13:30 Questions To Speakers

13:45 The role of social networks and the new media – Hanif Qadir

14:00 Questions to speaker

14:10 Not All Problems Are About “Prevent.” Polly Harrar (Sharan Project)

14:25 Questions to Speaker

14:40 Working Groups to examine ways forward

15:25 Feedback from Groups

15:40 Feedback on Day

15:45 Close
* This programme was correct at the time of publication but may be altered to reflect speaker changes that are beyond our control.

 

Event run in association with GlobalNet
Event run in association with GlobalNet
Speakers:
Workshop facilitators: Francis Sealey, GlobalNet21, a former producer at the BBC for The Open University, Francis has extensive experience of engaging with local communities and the use of social media. Mandy Sanghera is a Equality, Diversity & Human Rights Consultant and Trainer. She has a vast experience of delivering training and consultancy. She has extensive training for 22 years in race, community & race relations, discrimination law & practice, hate crime & dealing with harassment, equality & diversity, immigration/nationality law & practice and human rights law & practice. Mandy has been working closely with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Home Office in regards to forced marriages of vulnerable adults. Dr Erin Saltman is a Senior Researcher and Networks Manager at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. She oversees research and project development on ISD's Women and Extremism (WaE) initiative as well as the Youth Civil Activism Network (YouthCAN). Both networks bring together civil society activists with tech and creative sectors to scale up innovation and credible voices within the counter-extremism space. Hanif Qadir a former extremist, believes that radicalisation of young people is a bigger problem than ever before. He says many young Muslims are understandably distressed at the humanitarian crisis in Syria and believe passionately in the battle to set up Islamic State's caliphate. Hanif ’s vision back in 2003 was to create a safe space where young people could come and chat about the issues that were troubling them, and where messages of hatred and violence could be challenged. So he founded the Active Change Foundation. In his classes, Hanif teaches that in the history of Islam, extremist groups are nothing new and are condemned by Mohammed, the founder of the faith. Hanif uses social media to rally Muslims to condemn IS. He is convinced that the vast majority of Muslims are against the radicals. Yvonne Ridley is a British journalist and activist best known for her capture by the Taliban and subsequent conversion to Islam after release. Yvonne Ridley has, among others, worked for Press TV news channel. The daughter of a miner from Durham, Ridley started in provincial newspapers before progressing to jobs with the Daily Mirror, the News of the World, the Sunday Times and the Daily and Sunday Express. In January 2014, Ridley was nominated for the Muslim Woman of the Year award at the British Muslim Awards. Marisa De Jager is qualified Social Worker with statutory case management and strategic management experience as a Social Work practitioner and manager in Child Protection. She has successfully implemented a Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub in London, Manchester City Council and Thurrock and has supported the delivery of integrated MASH models with its unique connectivity to Early Offer and Troubled Families in the UK. She delivers specialist consulting services, project management and specialist training as it relates to these business areas. Polly Harrar is the founder of the Sharan Project that she founded in 2007 and exists to work with women who leave home because of cultural pressure or conflict and violence at home, perceived dishonour, getting pregnant, having a boyfriend.  
Who should attend?
This workshop provides a meeting point for leading stakeholder and community engagement leaders and professionals, sharing knowledge, tools and strategies to achieve success in creating mutually beneficial outcomes for both themselves, their stakeholders and the communities in which they operate. It will be of value to those working in local authorities, colleges and the voluntary sector and who are engaged in building bridges across communities.



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