PREVENT Policy
Prevent Introduction and Context
This Policy supports Prostart’s Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy
What is Prevent
Prevent is part of the Home Office anti-terrorism strategy known as CONTEST. Prevent aims to reduce the risk we face from terrorism. The strategy promotes collaboration and cooperation amongst organisations, in order to support vulnerable individuals.
The strategy is made up of four work streams:
Protect – strengthening our borders, infrastructure, buildings and spaces against a terrorist attack.
Prepare – where an attack cannot be stopped to reduce/mitigate its impact.
Pursue – to disrupt or stop terrorist attacks.
PREVENT – to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorist organisations
UK faces a range of terrorist threats. All the terrorist groups who pose a threat to us seek to radicalise and recruit people to their cause. The Prevent strategy seeks to:
- Respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and aspects of extremism, and the threat we face from those who promote these views
- Provide practical help to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure they are given appropriate advice and support
- Work with a wide range of sectors where there are risks of radicalisation which needs to be addressed, including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, the internet and health
A system of threat level has been created which represents the likelihood of an attack in the near future. The five levels are:
Critical- an attack is expected imminently
Severe – an attack is highly likely
Substantial – an attack is a strong possibility
Moderate – an attack is possible but not likely
Low – an attack is unlikely
The current threat level from international terrorism in the UK can be found here Threat Levels | MI5 – The Security Service.
Further Education colleges including Independent Training Providers are major education and training providers for the 16 – 25-year age group, particularly young people from ethnically diverse and socially and economically disadvantaged areas. The age and profile of our Apprentices & learners make it crucial to be involved in the Prevent strategy. Prostart have a part to play in fostering shared values and promoting cohesion.
This strategy has five key objectives:
- To promote and reinforce shared values; to create space for free and open debate; and to listen and support the learner voice.
- To break down segregation among different learner communities including by supporting inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogue and understanding, and to engage all Apprentices & learners in playing a full and active role in wider engagement in society
- To ensure learner safety and that Prostart is free from bullying including cyber-bullying, harassment and discrimination
- To provide support for Apprentices & learners who may be at risk and appropriate sources of advice and guidance
- To ensure that Apprentices & learners and staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities in preventing radicalisation and violent extremism.
Leadership and Values
To provide an ethos which upholds core values of shared responsibility and wellbeing for all Apprentices & learners, staff and visitors and promotes respect, equality and diversity and understanding. This will be achieved through:
- Promoting core values of respect, equality and diversity, democratic society, learner voice and participation
- Building staff and learner understanding of the issues and confidence to deal with them
- Deepening engagement with local communities
- Actively working with local schools, local authorities, police and other agencies
Teaching and Learning
To provide a curriculum which promotes knowledge, skills and understanding to build the resilience of Apprentices & learners, by undermining extremist ideology and supporting the learner voice. This will be achieved through:
- Embedding equality, diversity and inclusion, wellbeing and community cohesion
- Promoting wider skill development such as social and emotional aspects of learning
- A curriculum adapted to recognise local needs, challenge extremist narratives and promote universal rights.
- Encouraging active citizenship/participation and learner voice.
- Embedding British Values into the curriculum and ensuring that Apprentices & learners understand the terms extremism and radicalisation.
Student Support
To ensure that staff are confident to take preventative and responsive steps working with partner professionals, families and communities. This will be achieved through:
- Maintaining strong and effective learner support
- Listening to what is happening in the community
- Reinforcing anti-bullying strategies and challenging discriminatory behaviour
- Helping Apprentices & learners and staff know how to access support at Prostart and or through community partners
- Supporting at risk Apprentices & learners through safeguarding and crime prevention processes
- Focussing on narrowing the attainment gap for all Apprentices & learners
Managing Risks and Responding to Events
To ensure that Prostart monitors risks and is ready to deal appropriately with issues which arise. It will do this through:
- Understanding the nature of the threat from violent extremism and how this may impact directly or indirectly at Prostart
- Understanding and managing potential risks within Prostart from external influences
- Responding appropriately to events in local, national or international news that may impact on Apprentices & learners and communities
- Ensuring measures are in place to minimise the potential for acts of violent extremist within Prostart (Impero software for monitoring ICT installed).
- Ensuring plans are in place to respond appropriately to a threat or incident at Prostart
- Adhering to the ICT security and responsible user policies already in place.
- Adhering to the General Data Protection Regulation when sharing information.
Definition of vulnerability for Prevent
- spending increasing time in the company of other suspected extremists;
- changing their style of dress or personal appearance to accord with the group;
- day-to-day behaviour becoming increasingly centred around an extremist ideology, group or cause;
- loss of interest in other friends and activities not associated with the extremist ideology, group or cause;
- possession of material or symbols associated with an extremist cause (e.g. the swastika for far right groups);
- attempts to recruit others to the group/cause/ ideology; or
- communications with others that suggest identification with a group/cause/ideology.
- Difficulty concentrating, a sudden lack of interest in work-related activities, or repeated absenteeism due to increasing religious or ideological involvement
- Isolating, refusing to take part in company activities or to work next to a colleague due to the latter’s religion, race, skin colour, gender or sexual orientation
- Making divisive and highly intolerant statements concerning international or social issues, or particular groups.
Example indicators that an individual has an intention to cause harm, use violence or other illegal means include:
- clearly identifying another group as threatening what they stand for and blaming that group for all social or political ills;
- using insulting or derogatory names or labels for another group;
- speaking about the imminence of harm from the other group and the importance of action now;
- expressing attitudes that justify offending on behalf of the group, cause or ideology;
- condoning or supporting violence or harm towards others; or
- Plotting or conspiring with others.
The examples above are not exhaustive and vulnerability may manifest itself in other ways.
Definitions:
‘British Values’ are defined as democracy, rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different religions.
At work you will have a code of conduct, policies and procedures which enable everyone to work together respectfully and to value each other’s opinions.
‘Radicalisation’ The process where someone has their vulnerabilities or susceptibilities exploited towards crime or terrorism – most often by a third party, who has their own agenda.
Radicalisationis usually a process not an event. During that process it is possible to intervene to prevent vulnerable people being drawn into terrorist-related activity.
Radicalisation and Extremism – Examples and Behavioural Traits (educateagainsthate.com)
‘Extremism’ is defined in the 2011 Prevent strategy as 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 our definition of extremism calls for the death of members of our armed forces, whether in this country or overseas.
There is a risk assessment in place for PREVENT which is reviewed quarterly by the Governance Team and a section on PREVENT is also included in the Business Continuity & Risk Register.
Further information on Prevent including resources can be found here Hot Topic – Safeguarding & Prevent (padlet.com)
V6 January 24