PREVENT awareness quiz

1. What the PREVENT duty actually says

PREVENT is part of the UK government's counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST. It places a statutory duty on certain organisations, including colleges, independent training providers, and other FE and Skills providers, to have 'due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.'

In plain English, providers must:

• Assess the risk of learners being drawn into terrorism.
• Train staff to recognise and respond to signs of radicalisation.
• Work in partnership with local authorities and other agencies.
• Ensure IT systems filter out illegal terrorist material.
• Promote values such as democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance.

2. CONTEST and the four Ps

PREVENT is one of four strands of the UK's overall counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST. These are often referred to as the 'four Ps':

• Prevent: Aims to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. This is primarily what the FE and Skills sector focuses on.
• Pursue: Aims to stop terrorist attacks.
• Protect: Aims to strengthen protection against terrorist attacks.
• Prepare: Aims to mitigate the impact of a terrorist attack.

3. Channel: support, not prosecution

When a PREVENT concern is raised and assessed as potentially serious, an individual might be referred to the Channel programme. Channel is a voluntary, confidential, multi-agency support programme.

After a referral, a Channel Panel involving local authority, police, health, and education professionals assesses the individual's vulnerability and develops a support plan. This might include mentoring, counselling, or educational interventions. Involvement is voluntary and requires consent.

4. Real indicators of radicalisation

Recognise genuine indicators of vulnerability rather than making assumptions. No single indicator should be seen as definitive - look for a pattern of unusual behaviour or significant shifts.

5. How extremism is defined

PREVENT focuses on preventing people from being drawn into terrorism caused by extremism. The government's working definition of extremism is:

'Vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We also include in this definition calls for the death of members of our armed forces.'

6. Raising a PREVENT concern

Your organisation should have a clear internal procedure, typically involving your designated safeguarding lead (DSL) or a nominated PREVENT lead.

• Who to tell: Immediately report concerns to your organisation's designated PREVENT lead or DSL. They are trained to assess the situation and decide on next steps.
• Factual observations: Detail what you saw or heard, including dates, times, and specific statements.
• Context: Any relevant background information about the learner.
• Your rationale: Why you believe this may be a PREVENT concern.
• Actions taken: What you have done so far (e.g. reported to DSL).

7. All forms of extremism

PREVENT covers all forms of extremism that can lead to terrorism, not just those associated with specific faith groups. This is a crucial point often misunderstood.

• Extreme right-wing terrorism: Including white supremacist and nationalist ideologies.
• Left-wing, anarchist and single-issue terrorism: Such as environmental or animal-rights extremism that crosses into violence.
• Islamist extremism: Promoting a violent interpretation of Islam and a rejection of democracy and Western values.

8. Responding to extremist content in class

Challenging or potentially extremist views sometimes surface in classroom discussions, occasionally disguised as 'just a joke.' Respond calmly and proportionately.

• Maintain control: Keep the discussion contained and ensure a safe learning environment for all.
• Challenge the comment, not the person: Focus on the content of the remark and its potential impact, rather than lambasting the learner.
• Reinforce British values: Refer back to your organisation's values and the importance of respect, tolerance, and not inciting hatred.
• Educate and explore: Use it as a teachable moment to discuss stereotypes, hate speech, or the impact of certain ideologies.
• Record and report: Always make a record and report it to your PREVENT lead or DSL, even if you handled it well in the moment.

9. Consent and Channel

Channel is a voluntary programme. An individual (or their parents/guardians if under 18) must consent to engage with the support offered.

• Informed choice: The individual must understand what Channel is, why they are being referred, and what the support might involve.
• Voluntary participation: They must freely agree to participate, without coercion.
• Ongoing engagement: Consent can be withdrawn at any time.

10. Building resilience to radicalisation

Beyond compliance, embedding practices that build resilience is the most effective long-term strategy.

• Foster critical thinking: Encourage learners to question sources, analyse information, and form their own reasoned opinions.
• Promote active citizenship and British values: Regularly discuss democracy, individual liberty, mutual respect, and the rule of law.
• Encourage debate and discussion: Create safe spaces to explore controversial ideas respectfully and challenge each other constructively.
• Celebrate diversity and inclusion: Actively promote understanding of different cultures, faiths, and beliefs.
• Develop digital literacy: Equip learners to identify misinformation, hate speech, and propaganda online.
• Personalised support: Ensure learners feel valued and have trusted adults they can approach with concerns.