HOPE - HOlistic radicalisation Prevention initiativE

About this project

<p><span style="font-size: 14px"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The project strives to create <strong>a network that supports continuous training and knowledge sharing</strong> in the Balkan, Southern and Eastern European countries. Such a network will be called <strong>European Learning Hub on Radicalisation</strong>. This network will comprise <strong>training providers</strong> (incl. national sectoral training academies), <strong>research centres</strong> (from the public and private sector), and <strong>prison and probation services</strong>. These organisations play an active role in <strong>preventing and countering radicalisation and violent extremism</strong>.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 14px"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The European Learning Hub on Radicalisation aims to <strong>improve the transition from prison and/or probation to the community</strong>, for those at risk of radicalisation or who have already been radicalised. Hence, the project adds value to the European discussion on radicalisation, violent extremism, and deradicalisation/disengagement strategies, focusing on the vulnerabilities of the Balkan, Southern and Eastern European states. Despite its regional focus, the project should c<strong>ontrast different regional approaches and ensure the transferability </strong>of the project results to the broader European context. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 14px"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The project will achieve the results by <strong>promoting a holistic prevention approach focusing on offenders, criminal justice staff, and community organisations</strong>.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 14px"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Among our main specific objectives are:</span></span></p> <ol> <li><span style="font-size: 14px"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The development of <strong>innovative multidisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning</strong> to raise awareness, foster overall knowledge and improve radicalisation prevention skills within a network of stakeholders; </span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 14px"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The <strong>improvement of the skillset of judicial, prison and probation professionals on how to identify and prevent radicalisation</strong>. At the same time, also the improvement of the skills of community organisations’ staff (including religious organisations) on how to deal with offenders at the prevention, management and intervention stages.&nbsp;</span></span></li> </ol>

Bilateral cooperation results

The cooperation between the Donor Project Partner and the project (and its Beneficiary partners) was outstandingly positive. The Donor State representative (KRUS, University College of the Norwegian Correctional Service), the world-renowned entity in prison staff training, during the organisation of the project's first in-person Steering Committee Meeting, demonstrated their training facilities and in-person training programmes, the attentive to/importance of motivational aspects, and how staff should be seen as a 'professional friend' to foster a culture of mutual trust and respect between the inmate and the prison staff. On the second day of the Steering Committee Meeting, the Consortium (incl. beneficiary countries representatives from prison and probation administrations) visited the Kongsvinger Prison in Norway (counting with violent extremist and terrorist offenders, returnees from Syria and Iraq), observing how staff put into practice the strategies/procedures highlighted in the previous day. Their knowledge and expertise in working with extremist and terrorist offenders (i.e., to ensure rehabilitation via-deradicalisation) was also put into practice during the two in-person training events, highly focused on Output 9 findings. The Donor Project Partner was an active participant in several other project events (Mid-Term Conference, HLS, TPF, TTWs, NDWs), communicating about the Norwegian experience/expertise in dealing with violent extremist and terrorist offenders, as well as the O9 outcomes focused on the HOPE Mentoring Programme. The Donor Project Partner is in conversations, together with the LP, with end-user partners (from and beyond the partner countries) to ensure the sustainable approach of HOPE, including their sustainability to other European and Worldwide regions.

Project partners

• The University College of the Norwegian Correctional Service (KRUS) Donor project partner· Norway
• General Directorate "Execution of Sentences" (GDES) at the Ministry of Justice Donor project partner· Bulgaria
• Bulgarian Association for Policy Evaluation Donor project partner· Bulgaria
• Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia Donor project partner· Serbia
• National Trade Union of Prison Policemen Donor project partner· Romania
• Bucharest-Jilava Penitentiary Donor project partner· Romania
• Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Slovenia, Probation Administration Donor project partner· Slovenia
• Foundation Agenfor International Donor project partner· Italy
• Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies Donor project partner· Spain