New teacher resources tackle subject of radicalisation

A series of free educational activities and lessons for schools and youth centres designed to raise awareness of extremism, spark discussion, and promote critical thinking in young people, has been launched by Counter Terrorism Policing and charity LGfL-The National Grid for Learning.

LGfL’s Act Early Stories complement CTP’s ACTEarly campaign launched after worrying trends showed that record numbers of young people began showing up in their casework, indicating a clear need for teachers, parents, friends and family to do more to protect the young people in their care from extremism.

Based on three real-life stories of young people whose lives have been affected by radicalisation, the Act Early Stories resource includes powerful videos, ready to use session slides and guidance notes so that they can be used by experienced practitioners as well as those who may not have much knowledge of the issues raised.

The aim is to empower teachers and other practitioners to speak to young people about extremism in different educational settings.

Session One features Micheal, who lost his older brother to religious extremism after he joined a terrorist group. It explores vulnerability and encourages young people to recognise how extremists exploit issues around identity for their own agenda, through group-led discussion and reflection.
 
Session Two focuses on John, who was radicalised by the extreme right wing and includes a letter to his younger self. Students are encouraged to unpick the building blocks of extremism, to recognise the consequences of not challenging extremist behaviour and where to seek support and help.
 
Session Three features a drama-based video and literacy activity about the indicators of exploitation, to help students understand peer pressure and the grooming process. This provokes discussions around what extreme views are, the implications these can have, why some people are more likely to be influenced than others, why it may not always be easy to leave and how to seek support.
 
Commenting on the partnership and new resources, Mubina Asaria, Online Safeguarding Consultant, DigiSafe Team, LGfL-The National Grid for Learning, said, “Steering young people away from extremism is all about safeguarding. As educators we are all aware of the dangers that young people face from the online space in which they spend so much of their lives. The growth of extremist content online is touching more and more of our students’ lives, and we can all play an important role in helping them build some resilience to the dangerous narratives they may come across.
 
“Our simple, ready to use resources will help you tackle these difficult issues head-on, and will give your pupils the skills and confidence to make decisions which will protect them from potential harm.”
 
Superintendent Heather Wilson, Deputy National Coordinator for Prevent at Counter Terrorism Policing said, “Teachers, youth workers, and educational practitioners are absolutely vital when it comes to speaking to young people about radicalisation, and through this fantastic partnership we hope they will feel empowered to tackle these difficult conversations in the classroom.
 
“At Counter Terrorism Policing we are, sadly, continuing to see growing numbers of children and young people featuring in our casework - which makes innovative projects like this even more important.
 
“By sharing the stories of those directly affected by radicalisation we hope that young people learn that this can happen to anyone, and that there is help out there for people who need it.
 
“Working with partners such as LGfL-The National Grid for Learning creates opportunities to reach audiences who are most at risk, and hopefully helps us change lives for the better.”