OSCE holds interactive workshop on including a diverse group of young people in activities to strengthen community resilience to violent extremism

On 30 March 2022, 11 practitioners from Central Asia and South-Eastern Europe took part in an interactive, online OSCE workshop on inclusive youth engagement in preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (P/CVERLT).

It was the second part in a workshop series in which P/CVERLT practitioners discussed challenges and good practices for meaningful outreach to youth who are or feel isolated from society, their community and/or peers and often are not reached by P/CVERLT programmes.

At the first workshop held on 15 July 2021, facilitators and participants jointly probed what it might feel like to be young and alienated, and identified practical steps towards effective and inclusive youth engagement.

In this second part, participants examined how to successfully work with a diverse group of young people in ways that allow for meaningful and equal participation. Central questions included: how do I engage with young people beyond my usual networks? How do I ensure that the learning environment remains inclusive and positive for all participants? How can I be mindful of my privilege? Techniques for inclusive dialogue and the engagement of credible and trusted peers were examined. Participants were invited to share relevant case studies of their own youth activities for their review and leveling up on youth inclusion.

The workshop is part of the OSCE Leaders against Intolerance and Violent Extremism (LIVE) initiative, a flagship training programme that seeks to strengthen the resilience and capacity of communities. LIVE promotes context-specific efforts against violent extremism developed and led by women, youth and community leaders.

The workshop was designed for graduates of the LIVE training programme to further build their skills and to provide expert support in implementing inclusive P/CVERLT programmes and initiatives. The workshop drew on expertise and facilitation by a facilitator of Human Security Collective, an OSCE partner in the LIVE initiative.

The OSCE’s LIVE initiative consists of three different training courses tailored to youth, women and community leaders across the OSCE area. From 2018, the Action against Terrorism Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in co-operation with the OSCE field operations, has delivered a series of regional LIVE train-the-trainer seminars for South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and supports OSCE field operations in their implementation of national LIVE training courses.