Between Worlds: How to Help Youth to Manage Frustration Without Radicalization and Violence

IPčko’s project builds on its experience and strengthens the prevention of mobilization for violence and radicalization by supporting young people’s mental health and addressing risks in the online environment. Radicalization is linked to loneliness, frustration, anger and non‑belonging, and can gradually lead to extreme ideologies, normalized hatred or violence. Young people facing exclusion, bullying or injustice often lack psychological support and are vulnerable to manipulative pressures.

The project reduces inequalities in access to help by combining psychological support, civic education, safe spaces and awareness‑raising. Over 12 months, four connected activities will be implemented: youth clubs, workshops, an online Discord community and mapping of the online environment.

Low‑threshold clubs provide safe afternoon spaces led by psychologists and social workers, helping young people recognize their experiences, support mental health and avoid toxic online communities.

Monthly workshops in six clubs focus on radicalization, manipulation, discrimination, human rights and information literacy, strengthening critical thinking and resilience.

The online Discord community offers a safe digital space for those without access to offline activities, with monthly moderated discussions.

Continuous mapping of the online environment identifies trends, narratives and mechanisms influencing young people, including hate speech, toxic communities and manipulative techniques. Monitoring platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and forums provides recommendations for interventions and counter‑narratives used in real time and informs workshops and discussions. When risks are identified, IPčko cooperates with relevant institutions.

Clubs for young people (Safe Space): Low‑threshold anonymous youth clubs provide safe, respectful spaces led by professionals, where young people can spend time, talk, and engage in activities without judgment. They foster acceptance, safe communication, and support services, strengthen the ability to articulate experiences, promote mental health as protection against radicalization, and offer an alternative to isolation or toxic online groups. Six clubs will operate throughout the 12‑month project, free of charge in the afternoons.

Interactive Workshops: Workshops will run monthly in each club, offering a 1–1.5‑hour educational program focused on radicalization, online manipulation, toxic masculinity, discrimination, human rights, and information literacy. Their aim is to develop critical thinking, improve recognition of manipulative content, and build resilience to radicalization narratives. Led by experts, they connect to club activities and create a safe space for sensitive discussions.

Online Community Space: A moderated Discord community provides a safe alternative for young people unable to join offline clubs, reducing digital isolation. It supports discussions on relevant topics, strengthens resilience to hateful and radicalizing content, and offers a respectful, expert‑led environment with a monthly 1–1.5‑hour program tailored to youth needs.

Mapping the Online Space and Counter‑Narratives: Experts continuously monitor trends, language patterns, hate speech, toxic communities, manipulative techniques, and content exploiting frustration or belonging on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and forums. The output includes trend overviews and recommendations for counter‑narratives and supportive content usable in real time. This activity runs throughout the project.

The aim of the project is to systematically process trends, challenges, phenomena and narratives identified through social network mapping and translate them into clear, supportive and age‑appropriate content for young people. Based on these findings, communication outputs with content, language and visual design tailored to young people will be created and distributed through relevant social networks. The project also includes developing outputs and recommendations for adults (parents, teachers and professional staff), which will be published on IPčko’s website and communication platforms.

The goal is to strengthen understanding of current online phenomena, support early recognition of risky behaviours and contribute to effective prevention and assistance for young people in both online and offline environments.

A key factor in achieving these results is the comprehensive concept of the project’s activities. They contribute to providing support and information, strengthening the target group’s ability to exercise their rights and needs, and encouraging participation and civic involvement.

Through the project’s activities, we will contribute to promoting human rights, combating discrimination, strengthening media literacy, and increasing young people’s resilience to disinformation. The project also seeks to support and enhance youth civic engagement. The project focuses on young people aged approximately 12–30. Our goal is to implement 1 information and awareness campaign.