R2COM project brings practitioners and researchers together to discuss a holistic and comprehensive approach towards enhancing NGOs’ role in preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE). The initiative especially focuses on interventions post-release from prison.
NGOs are an important vector of proximity with communities and their members. Furthermore, they usually have experience in working with radicalised and vulnerable individuals. The involvement of these organisations in radicalisation prevention and deradicalisation initiatives is necessary to increase the adherence and success of such programmes.
It is then essential to foster and enhance the involvement of NGOs in the P/CVE field, especially concerning support to newly-released individuals.
What should NGOs’ professionals be aware of regarding P/CVE?
Despite their work with these communities, NGOs’ professionals might not possess the necessary knowledge and tools to adequately deal with radicalised or violent extremist individuals, for example, risk screening tools. To enhance the cooperation of these organisations, it is then necessary to improve the competencies of their staff. NGOs working in criminal justice would be in a position to offer even better support and outcomes if they are provided sustainable and needs-oriented training programmes.
To this end, the R2COM project will develop a network of relevant NGOs and give them access to adequate and updated information. These learning materials will focus on fostering new skills, providing insights on the best and most promising practices and methods concerning radicalisation and violent extremism prevention. Moreover, there will be tools to better work with radicalised or vulnerable individuals and violent extremists and terrorist offenders (VETOs).
The consortium met to launch the R2COM project. The event was a space to discuss project objectives, expected outcomes, and to take the first steps towards the project’s goals
This approach will be complemented with customised, and innovative training programmes that are based on needs. All of this strives to provide screening material and guidelines for P/CVE work in community settings.
The project partners are committed to increasing the synergies between different community stakeholders. This improvement will make it possible to meet the project’s goals and ensure its future sustainability.
The R2COM consortium discussed these important themes at its online kick-off meeting on the 12th and 14th of January, 2022. The meeting was organised in an online format by the project’s coordinator, the Association Les Militants Des Savoirs (The Conveyors of Knowledge) from France. Representatives from all project partners attended the meeting: IPS_Innovative Prison Systems (Portugal), Associazione Carcere e Territorio (Prison and Territory Association) (Italy), Partners Kosova Center for Conflict Management (Kosovo), Albanian Helsinki Committee (Albania), Transform (Sweden), Crime Prevention Fund – IGA (Bulgaria) and United for Intercultural Action (Hungary).
For more information on the R2COM project, please visit its page.