RAN LOCAL Local P/CVE strategy in times of COVID-19, online meeting, 30 November - 01 December 2020

The exploratory meeting of the RAN Local Authorities Working Group (LOCAL) on “Local P/CVE strategy in times of COVID-19” took place in a digital setting on 30 November and 1 December 2020.

Its aim was to explore the effects and changes that local coordinators and practitioners have encountered in their local multi-agency approach to preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) and in the detection of early signs of radicalisation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, the meeting focused on exchanging innovative ways that practitioners and local coordinators have dealt with the restrictions following the pandemic.

This conclusion paper captures those outcomes and provides some tips and recommendations for other local coordinators to continue their local multi-agency corporation and P/CVE interventions despite the COVID-19 restrictions they face. The conclusion paper is meant for local P/CVE coordinators as well as first-line practitioners working with people vulnerable to radicalisation.

The key outcomes of the meeting are:

• Local coordinators find it difficult to continue the multi-agency cooperation structures, as these usually took place offline. Finding new ways of continued online cooperation with the stakeholders involved requires mutual trust and cooperation from all actors involved.
• The detection of early signs of radicalisation has become more challenging, with, for example, schools and youth centres closed. Local coordinators should reach out proactively to first-line practitioners and support them in finding new ways to reach out to people vulnerable to radicalisation, for example through actively promoting good or inspiring practices or by providing a webinar with an update of signs and trends on the local level (e.g. the spreading of certain conspiracy narratives).
• Use this time to experiment and innovate: find out which new approaches work and which do not, and why. These findings can be used to reiterate the local P/CVE strategy — also for the long term.