Prevent Plus

An overview of the Prevent Plus resources and how to use them.

Nicola The Mother

Nicola’s son, Rasheed, 19, from Birmingham, was a normal boy from a loving family. He was an engineering apprentice by day and enjoyed parkour (free running) and football in his spare time. On Monday 1st June 2015, he suddenly travelled to Syria to volunteer as a foreign fighter for the self-styled Islamic State. He never returned.

Losing her son to terrorism has left Nicola devastated, but she is determined to help prevent this happening to another family, to another parent’s child.

Aims of the session:

• Young participants (YPs) critically assess the content of the video in order to build empathy and critical thinking skills
• YPs understand multiple, but complex warning symptoms of radicalisation
• YPs address moral questions surrounding unconditional love
• YPs explore British Values and how they relate to this case study
• YPs discuss different practical actions they can take in response to worries about radicalisation

Yasmin The Recruiter

"We were passionate about helping women. We wanted to create a revolution. We wanted to make history". Yasmin, who is originally from Derby, was a member of a banned extremist group from 1996 to 2000.

Her role was to recruit other women to join the organisation in their aim to create a State. She now works to dissuade young people from joining extremist groups.

Aims of the session:

• Young participants (YPs) critically assess the content of the video in order to build empathy and critical thinking skills
• YPs explore the ripple effect of individual events
• YPs explore moral concept of justice and how it relates to everyday decisions and events

Shahid The Believer

Shahid was part of the Lynx street gang in the 80s. In the 90s he travelled to Bosnia as an aid worker, but after seeing the people’s plight joined the foreign fighters brigade of the Bosnian Army.

He subsequently travelled to Afghanistan and Kashmir. In 1998, he was arrested and tortured into signing a false confession in Yemen and sentenced to 5 years in prison on charges of conspiring to carry out terrorist attacks. Released in 2003, he is now active in combating racism, extremism and gang activity.

Aims of the session:

• Young participants (YPs) critically assess the content of the video in order to build empathy and critical thinking skills
• YPs to discuss beliefs and how they become extreme

Sammy The Accidental

"Before going to Syria? We didn’t talk about fighting, we only talked about helping people." Sammy, a 23 year old German national, converted to Islam and decided to travel to Syria in 2014 with his friend, believing it was the best way to practise his faith and help other Muslims.

He was in Syria for 2 ½ months. Once he arrived there he was told he had to fight, which he refused. Against all odds he escaped, and after being held in prison in Syria, Turkey and Germany, he is now being assisted by a de-radicalisation organisation.

Aims of the session:

• Young participants (YPs) critically assess the content of the video in order to build empathy and critical thinking skills
• YPs to discuss fake news and how it spreads
• YPs analyse myth vs. reality of extremism and how that impacts individual involvement

Nigel The Leader

"Kill or be killed". Nigel, based in London, became a leading far-right activist from the age of 16. He joined the National Front in 1982 and, during the 1990s, was a national council member for Combat 18. He is now active in combating extremism.

Is it enough to say that he has changed? What does his story about how he joined the National Front tell us about combating violent extremism today?

Aims of the session:

• Young participants (YPs) critically assess the content of the video in order to build empathy and critical thinking skills
• YPs to explore the concept of stereotyping and the impact it can have
• YPs explore the concept of othering

"It was 16 boys that went there and every single one of them died."

Listen to the story of the Woolwich boys – a largely Somali led south London street gang involved in county lines drug distribution.  In 2015, police monitoring criminal gang activity first became aware of a possible radicalisation crossover after 20 members and associates of the Woolwich Boys were  known to have travelled to Syria – with devastating consequences.

Aims of the session:

• Young participants (YPs) critically assess the content of the video in order to build empathy and critical thinking skills
• YPs understand links between gangs entry and radicalisation
• YPs explore choices and consequences and how they can seek support

Figen The Mother

Figen Murray is the mother of Martyn Hett, 29, a PR worker who was killed in the Manchester Arena bomb attacks in May 2017. 22 people were killed and 120 injured when Salman Abedi, carried out a suicide bomb attack at the Ariane Grande concert.

We ask her what she would say to Salman Abedi if he was alive, why she rejects being labelled a victim, being trolled on the internet after she publicly forgave the attacker and her response to those who questioned why she was not grieving enough.

Figen hopes that by coming together and sharing solutions we have less to fear when tackling extremism. She wants to remember her son as an “ambassador for positivity.”

Aims of the session:

• Young participants (YPs) critically assess the content of the video in order to build empathy and critical thinking skills
• YPs understand isolation and the concept of "othering"
• YPs address moral questions surrounding forgiveness