The Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN)
Following the new framework contract launched in January 2020 for four years (which specifications can be found here), the Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN) is looking for Working Group (WG) Leaders for its WGs of first-line practitioners.
As is mentioned in the ‘Fifteenth Progress Report towards an effective and genuine Security Union’ , RAN has proven to be one of the most important networks for first-line practitioners from around the EU dealing with prevention and countering radicalisation. Several policy documents highlighting the role of RAN can be found here.
Within RAN, first-line practitioners can exchange expertise and knowledge, share lessons learnt, and identify good practices and recommendations to support the work of different stakeholders in Member States. The EU approach to prevention of radicalisation as set out below guides the work of RAN:
- having a bottom-up approach, supporting the development of skills of first-line practitioners and using their insights in developing appropriate responses and framework conditions;
- having a holistic approach, coordination and cooperation between different policy areas and instruments making a relevant contribution to tackling the root causes of radicalisation while strengthening resilience;
- having a multi-sector/agency approach, meaning that different policy areas need to be coordinated, different actors need to cooperate, and that the development of policy responses but also concrete interventions, e.g. at local level, need to involve all the relevant stakeholders;
- local is key: the recognition that it is foremost at the local level that the necessary measures need to be put in place and local actors that need to be empowered and supported — while such measures need to be coherent with (and complemented by) framework conditions at national level;
- tailor-made responses taking into account the specificities of each case;
- empowerment of civil society organisations since they can play an important role in different areas of preventing and countering radicalisation (e.g. in prisons, schools, etc.);
- respect of fundamental rights and promotion of democratic values.
The activities of RAN are supported by an external contractor (RAN “staff”), a consortium that is headed by RadarEurope.
The RAN Working Groups
The RAN WGs are the backbone of RAN. The purpose of the WG meetings is to bring together the relevant practitioners (ensuring the widest possible coverage in terms of Member States and professional background), to discuss particular topics allowing for an exchange of practices and the development of approaches and lessons learnt transferable to other contexts.
WGs’ activities capture practitioners’ insights that can usefully inform on specific interventions and approaches as well as trends and challenges. At the same time, they also offer a platform where practitioners can discuss and test how to best implement policy recommendations.
Please consult the RAN website for further details regarding the current WGs. The composition and mandate of the WGs is currently under revision.
WG meetings usually gather around 35 participants and take place 2 or 3 times a year. The WGs are led by one or two WG Leader(s) who are first-line practitioners, have extended knowledge and topic expertise, and have the skills to chair a WG.
WG Leaders
WG Leaders have an important role to play in the determination, implementation and review of RAN activities and deliverables. WG Leaders have to be first-line practitioners with vast experience in their field of work, able to address their needs, and work towards concrete and practical outcomes.
WG Leaders have a strategic vision of prevent work that should guide discussions in the Steering Committee (SC) and contribute more broadly to the development of a coherent EU policy on prevention in line with agreed policy objectives.
For all tasks, WG Leaders can rely on the support of the RAN staff. Each WG will have a team of RAN staff members supporting the WG Leaders and organising the meetings. Before a meeting of the WG takes place, the RAN staff drafts a discussion paper in cooperation with the WG Leaders to prepare the participating practitioners for the meeting.
The outcomes of the meeting are shared in a conclusions paper after the meeting. In addition, to be consulted in the preparation of the papers, the WG Leaders participate in the preparation of the agenda of each meeting and the choice of speakers and participants.
Tasks
In line with the technical specifications for the call for tenders for Lot1, the WG Leaders are expected to:
- coordinate and liaise on a regular basis with the contractor to steer the work within the WGs;
- steer, animate and organise the work of the WG;
- prepare and report on a work plan for the WG, which feeds into the Annual Activity Plan;
- identify good practices/lessons learnt;
- be consulted on any RAN papers related to the topic of their WG that are intended for publication;
- promote dissemination of the outcomes of the WG;
- select participants and new members with a view to them participating in WG meetings and/or delivering working documents, making sure that participants are representative in terms of Member States’ coverage and professional background;
- be a member of the RAN Steering Committee and participate in its meetings in Brussels each quarter;
- participate in the annual RAN Plenary and High-Level Conference;
- represent RAN and its first-line practitioners at external events such as conferences.
Profile and Requirements of Working Group Leaders
Working Group leaders are first-line practitioners from EU Member States. To qualify for the position, they should meet the following requirements:
- Feeling comfortable speaking and writing in English.
- Networking and chairing qualities:
- being willing and able to lead and steer the group in discussions, feeling comfortable chairing, presenting, facilitating and stimulating group exchange, overcoming resistance, formulating concrete and tangible lessons, and drafting recommendations;
- having multiple years of experience and knowledge in moderating group – and panel – discussions;
- bringing energy and enthusiasm to WG sessions;
- being practitioner-minded: having relevant practitioner experience for leading the WG, being a practitioner in one of the specific topic areas listed below, and able to connect to other practitioners;
- being able to work in a multi-professional setting.
- Skills and commitment:
- willing to commit to travel and participate in the WG meetings and in related meetings;
- able to spend approximately 16-25 workdays a year to fulfil all tasks and duties described.
- Being a RAN Ambassador:
- willing to think cross-sectorally and cooperate with other stakeholders (practitioners, policymakers, researchers, etc.);
- being culturally sensitive, understanding and accepting the different circumstances and cultures all over Europe, and understanding the sensitivities on the issue of radicalisation at policy level, in society and among practitioners;
- being able to think strategically in terms of developments relevant for EU practitioners in preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE).
- Topical knowledge:
- Having relevant and proven experience regarding the prevention and countering of radicalisation leading to violent extremism and terrorism, and to describe this in the curriculum vitae.
- Having substantial and proven experience in PVE/CVE among the different areas of intervention listed below. The applicant should mention a maximum of three areas of intervention.
- General understanding of the structures, laws and regulations regarding PVE/CVE in Europe.
- Combined expertise between areas of intervention and ideologies as described below will be highly appreciated.
Areas of intervention
PVE/CVE in countering online propaganda
- Development of counter- and alternative narratives
- Evaluation of counter- and alternative narratives
- Online propaganda
- Other: please specify
PVE/CVE in prisons
- Prison regimes
- Risk assessment
- Other: please specify
PVE/CVE in formal and informal education, family and community work
- Formal education
- Youth work and youth engagement in P/CVE
- Social work
- Family support
- Community work
- Other: please specify
PVE/CVE in deradicalisation, reintegration, resocialisation
- Ex terrorist offenders and individuals radicalised in prison
- Other radicalised individuals who have not been sentenced for terrorism
- Returning foreign terrorist fighters and their families
- Role of probation services
- Other: please specify
PVE/CVE in law enforcement
- General PVE/CVE police work
- Community policing
- Other: please specify
PVE/CVE and mental health
- Psychological expertise
- Psychiatric expertise
- Other: please specify
PVE/CVE and local authorities
- P/CVE coordination in a municipality
- Development of local action plans/strategies
- Other: please specify
PVE/CVE and victims of terrorism
- Restorative justice
- Resilience building of victims
- Victims in P/CVE
- Other: please specify
Ideologies
- Far-right extremism
- Islamist extremism
- Far-left extremism
- Environmental extremism
- Reciprocal radicalisation
- Other: please specify
Related and/or cross-cutting competences and experiences
- Multi-agency collaboration
- Evaluation of prevent interventions
- Risk assessments (outside prisons)
- Cults and gangs
- Lone actors
- Migrants and refugees
- Experience with so-called formers in P/CVE
- Gender dimension in P/CVE
- Crime–terror nexus
- Sports and other (cultural) events in P/CVE
- Prevent work in non-EU countries
- Other: please specify
Application Procedure
- Please fill in the application form and send this to applications@radareurope.nl
- Potential candidates are also required to send in their curriculum vitae.
- Please contact Pomme Woltman or Merle Verdegaal for questions or additional information.
- The deadline to send in the application is 8 May 2020.
- RAN staff will look into these applications and provide a proposal to the European Commission, who makes the final selection. To secure a diverse and representative group of WG Leaders, we are looking for a good geographical spread among Member States and an equal gender balance.
- The selection of WG Leaders will be communicated in the week of 25 May 2020.
- WG Leaders receive a monthly compensation of EUR 400 per person.