RE-ACTION: From Monitoring to Prevention

Slovakia is currently facing a significant increase in societal polarization, radicalization, and the weakening of democratic values. These negative trends are heavily fueled by the rapid spread of online disinformation, recent socio-political crises, and extremist narratives that frequently target marginalized and vulnerable communities. While national strategic frameworks for preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) exist on paper, there remains a critical implementation gap at the local level, where theoretical state policies consistently fail to translate into everyday preventative practice.
The core challenge this project seeks to address is the profound societal absence of systemic community security preparedness and crisis management skills among local actors. Specifically, there is a severe lack of practical, early-intervention tools and continuous early warning mechanisms for those operating at the grassroots level: frontline workers (teachers, youth and social workers, police officers) and local municipalities. Because these professionals interact with youth on a daily basis, they are the first to encounter early behavioral signs of radicalization. However, they currently lack the methodological guidance and deeply localized tools needed to safely identify risks and intervene before extremist attitudes escalate into violent actions.
Furthermore, the existing prevention landscape suffers from an absolute lack of established protocols for how these key local players should network and cooperate effectively during community crises. Without targeted capacity building and shared methodologies, frontline professionals remain unequipped, overwhelmed, and highly isolated when confronting extremism in schools and neighborhoods.
By addressing this specific gap, through the introduction of a continuous monitoring system and deeply localized pedagogical tools that reflect specific Slovak threats, the project directly builds coordinated local resilience.

The primary aim of the project is to build a comprehensive, locally applicable system for the prevention of extremism by connecting an early warning mechanism with practical intervention tools. The project plans to achieve this through four main interconnected activities, establishing a standardized "Community Security Preparedness" training module:
1. Continuous Monitoring and Early Warning System
Activity: Conducting continuous monitoring and analysis of extremist narratives and threats to democracy in Slovakia.
Direct Outputs: Publication of 12 editions of the RE-AKCIA newsletter and 6 analytical podcasts, serving as an early warning system for CSOs, policymakers, and frontline professionals.
2. Deep Localization and Regional Testing of the "Hexagon" Tool
Activity: Performing a deep localization of the Canadian pedagogical tool Hexagon to integrate Slovak strategic frameworks and local case studies.
Direct Outputs: 1 fully localized pedagogical tool and 3 regional testing workshops (Bratislava, Banská Bystrica, Košice) training min. 45 frontline workers, using pre- and post-tests to measure capacity building.
3. Expert Panel and Public Advocacy
Activity: Fostering CSO networking and public advocacy regarding extremism prevention at the international Human Forum 2026 conference.
Direct Outputs: Organizing 1 expert panel to publicly introduce the Hexagon methodology and monitoring data, initiating strategic dialogue with state actors.
4. Creation of a Community Crisis Manual
Activity: Iteratively drafting a practical Crisis Manual applying a "whole-of-society" approach, incorporating direct feedback from frontline workers during regional testing.
Direct Outputs: Publishing 1 comprehensive Crisis Manual in Spring 2027 to allow for summer impact evaluation, and officially presenting it to the national VRAX Committee to advocate for systemic adoption.

The project aims to achieve a systemic increase in the preparedness, capacity, and resilience of local actors against the threats of radicalization and extremism. The main outcome is bridging the gap between high-level national strategies and everyday local practice by establishing a sustainable "Community Security Preparedness" module based on concrete, tested tools and reliable data.
Expected Results and Outcomes:
Enhanced Capacities: Frontline professionals will gain practical skills to identify early signs of radicalization and safely intervene using the deeply localized Hexagon methodology, with their capacity growth exactly measured via pre- and post-test evaluations.
Improved Information and Awareness: A continuous early warning system (newsletters and podcasts) will keep the civil sector and policymakers updated on current extremist narratives, fostering a more informed and resilient society.
Systemic Resilience & Policy Impact: The Crisis Manual and subsequent advocacy efforts will equip municipalities and state bodies to adopt a "whole-of-society" approach. By officially presenting the outputs to the VRAX Committee, the project aims to integrate these tools directly into the upcoming national "Concept for Prevention of Radicalization and Extremism" in 2027.
Target Beneficiaries:
Primary Beneficiaries: Frontline workers (teachers, youth/social workers, police) who interact with youth on a daily basis and urgently need practical intervention tools and networking protocols.
Secondary Beneficiaries: Civil society organizations (CSOs), community leaders, local municipalities, and state policymakers who will utilize the monitoring data and the Crisis Manual for strategic planning and local security.
Ultimate Beneficiaries: Youth and marginalized communities most at risk of radicalization, who will directly benefit from a safer, more inclusive environment and proactive protection by trained professionals.