Advice for Young People
Explaining terrorism and extremism to young people can be difficult. Counter Terrorism Policing has provided information and guidance to educate and inform at school or at home.
Sadly, extremism and particularly risks around use of the internet are very much a part of today’s newspaper headlines.
Young people are living in a rapidly changing and global environment which, as we know, can have both a positive and a negative impact on their development and opportunities.
This page is dedicated to providing information, guidance, and resources for young people to educate about the risks of radicalisation and extremism.
Radicalisation is the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and extremist ideologies. If you are worried someone close to you is becoming radicalised act early and seek help. The sooner you reach out, the quicker we can protect the person you care about from being groomed and exploited by extremists.
Police forces across the country have specially trained Prevent officers who work alongside other organisations through a Home Office programme called Prevent to help people vulnerable to radicalisation move away from violent extremism. We are here to listen and offer help and advice. Receiving support is voluntary.
Friends and family are best placed to spot the signs, so trust your instincts and tell us your concerns in confidence.
We can help if you act early. You won’t be wasting our time and you won’t ruin lives, but you might save them.
To find out more about how to help someone close to you visit ACT Early.
Firearms and weapon attacks are rare but all community groups – including students – need to be prepared.
If you should get caught up in an incident our advice is: RUN, HIDE, TELL.
If the worst should ever happen, remembering these three words could save your life.
Read the information below, hope you never have to use it, but know you are now ready to react quickly.
Run to a place of safety. This is a far better option than to surrender or negotiate. If there’s nowhere to go then…
It’s better to hide than to confront. Remember to turn your phone to silent and turn off vibrate. Barricade yourself in if you can. Then finally and only when it’s safe to do so…
Tell the police by calling 999.
Resources & Guidance
Report online at gov.uk/ACT
If you see or hear something that doesn’t feel right, report it online and in confidence at gov.uk/ACT
In an emergency call 999.
ACT Early
If you are concerned that a loved one may be vulnerable to radicalisation, visit ACT Early for further information on signs to look out for and how to seek support.
Resources & information for schools and youth organisations
Counter Terrorism Policing has previously worked with PSHE Association and Girlguiding. Bespoke lesson materials were created with the aim of advising what to do if they see suspicious behaviour or a suspicious item.