IPS-partnered radicalisation prevention project shortlisted for the 2024 European Social Services Awards

Over the past 3 years, a European partnership has made significant strides in the empowerment of practitioners as a key to building inclusive and resilient communities. This initiative is now one of 45 shortlisted projects for the European Social Services Awards, which celebrates innovative projects that meet the social, economic, and cultural needs of communities in Europe.

Radicalisation and violent extremism are complex issues that often lead to severe consequences for societies. While the typical response has been a securitised, prison focused approach, this overlooks the root causes and long-term community-based solutions. Prisons can, in fact, foster insecurity and social grievances, making individuals more susceptible to extremist ideologies. Moreover, imprisonment is only temporary, and most individuals will eventually return to society, often facing personal, social, legal, and financial challenges that increase their vulnerability to radical influences.

Amid growing security concerns over newly-released radicalised or vulnerable individuals in several European countries, R2COM is dedicated to empowering local communities to support vulnerable individuals—especially those released from prison. The project focuses on providing tailored, comprehensive services that promote successful reintegration and long-term stability.

Central to R2COM’s approach is multi-agency cooperation, uniting NGOs and communities to develop solutions that address each community’s unique needs. By tackling the specific challenges faced by this neglected group, R2COM works to mitigate risks of radicalisation, prevent extremist engagement, and foster safer, more inclusive communities.

As one of the projects shortlisted for the European Social Services Awards in the Research and Evaluation category, R2COM aligns closely with this year’s Awards theme, “Promoting Inclusive Communities”. The project has made significant progress in developing innovative tools, strategies, and training programmes to support NGOs in addressing secondary and tertiary prevention challenges.

One of the key achievements has been the creation of a formal network with more than 80 members from over 50 organisations across Europe and beyond, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing. Additionally, practitioners the project free resources have reached a large audience, with over 110 practitioners certified in Prevention and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) and Community Empowerment, along with around 60 participants in a Training Strategies course.

Moreover, the R2COM project has developed a new assessment tool named TV-RAT (Transitioning Vulnerabilities to Radicalisation Assessment Tool). This tool is designed to assist practitioners in identifying and addressing vulnerabilities to radicalisation or extremist engagement among the post-release setting population, further expanding the resources available to professionals in this field.

The R2COM final conference in Toulouse, titled “Comprehensively Preventing Radicalisation and Extremism in Post-Release Settings: The Added Value of NGOs and CSOs,” brought together international and national experts to discuss the crucial outcomes of the project on preventing and countering violent extremism.

A central theme was the crucial yet often overlooked role of NGOs and CSOs in addressing security challenges such as radicalisation and violent extremism, which are deeply rooted in local social contexts. Tackling these issues requires a combination of bottom-up and top-down strategies for effective prevention.

Building trust was also highlighted as a priority, with discussions focusing on enhancing civil society engagement across different levels—local, regional, and national. Strengthening relationships between communities, organisations, and governments can significantly improve the impact of preventive measures.

Another key takeaway from the conference was the need for multi-disciplinary teams, encouraging collaboration across primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention efforts. This approach helps to close gaps between professionals and improves the overall effectiveness and efficiency of interventions.

Finally, the conference emphasised the importance of providing continuous, needs-based support to civil society professionals. This includes ongoing training, tailored assessment frameworks, and case management support for post-release professionals, with all resources specifically adapted to practitioners’ real-world needs.

As the project concludes its activities, there remains a commitment to ensuring that R2COM outcomes continue to provide value and relevance. The focus will be on strengthening the network of practitioners to facilitate sustained change and refining the project’s key materials—including the assessment tool, TV-RAT, training courses, and case management manual—while actively disseminating these resources to practitioners.

The acknowledgment from the European Social Services Awards highlights the importance of innovative projects that address the unique social, economic, and cultural needs of communities across Europe, emphasising the value of developing initiatives that promote more inclusive communities.

The award winners will be selected in a two-step scoring process, combining an Expert Judging Panel and Online Public Vote. If you wish to vote for the R2COM project, you can do so here, until October 21st, 2024.