Conference To Tackle Radicalisation In Hampshire

21 April 2015, 09:13 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Schools and colleges from across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are going to a special conference aimed at preventing the radicalisation of young people.

Local councils will also join officers from Hampshire Constabulary today to look at how they can work together to shield young people from the threat of radicalisation at the county's first Partnerships In Prevent conference.

Senior representatives of all 14 local authorites, four universities, most further education colleges, school leaders, and local safeguarding boards will join policing commanders at the conference organised and run by the force's specialist Prevent team at Netley on Tuesday (April 21).

All agencies attending are partners in the work relevant to the issues which will be explored throughout the day.

This is the first conference of its kind in the south of England - bringing together key strategic leaders to develop plans to prevent terrorism in our force area in light of the legislation under the new Counter Terrorism & Security Act 2015 which provides new responsibilities to local authorities and other agencies.  It will be opened by the Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Hayes, and attended by Assistant Chief Constable Jason Hogg.

Acting Inspector David Knowles, who leads the Prevent team in Hampshire & the Isle of Wight and co-ordinated the conference, said:

"The theme is very much about partnership working, making our communities safer places to live, work and study.

"A key aspect to the day is launching a new resource created by students from Highbury College. Given that those most susceptible to being drawn into extremism are young people, it is crucial that some of the solution comes from young people themselves, so we have been working with students from the college to develop two films to be used to provoke discussion in schools, colleges and anywhere where young people gather.

"The aim is to prevent extremism of all kinds but to create debate on the issues that matter."