Silvia participated in the Training Course “Radicalization Stop” organized by PROJUVEN in Torremolinos, Spain
Hello Silvia! According to your opinion, what drives youth radicalisation?
In my opinion, youth radicalization is driven by a lack of understanding on both the radicalized youth part, and on society’s part. On one hand, youth are susceptible to becoming radicalized because they are looking for a sense of purpose which they cannot find through living a regular life. On the other hand, people are not willing to accept them, offer them alternatives and educate them, which only worsens the situation.
What can we do to protect young people from extremist influences in the online environment? What are your tips for staying safe online?
There is not much we can do to regulate young people’s online activity without hindering their privacy and independence. Therefore, the best option would be to educate them on the matter and use their help to report radicalized activity they may find online. Additionally, the authorities should also make an effort so that these extremist messages do not spread online. But the most important thing is that we teach the youths how to recognize and avoid these extremist messages.
What is the most important thing you have learned during the training? How do you plan to share and use your knowledge?
The most important thing I learned during the training is how to be critical of the information given to me, and that i can be accepting and helpful to those who have been the subjects of radicalization instead of shutting them down immediately.
