Prevention and Intervention Programs
The Canada Centre supports initiatives and programs to prevent and intervene with individuals and groups at-risk of radicalization to violence, as well as with those who want to leave violent extremism behind.
Early Prevention
In the context of countering radicalization to violence, early prevention efforts have the objective of preventing the onset of harmful behavior. Some approaches of prevention include:
- raising awareness about radicalization to violence so individuals can distinguish it from holding extreme views and identify when someone is at risk of engaging in violence.
- increasing critical thinking and media literacy skills so people are less vulnerable to manipulation and influence of violent extremists and terrorists in the online space, and
- supporting the development of curricula and training for teachers and frontline workers that encourage open dialogue on challenging issues in educational settings and provide students and groups with prosocial avenues to discuss their grievances.
Find out more about some of the early prevention projects that the Canada Centre supports through the Community Resilience Fund:
- The Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD)'s "Extreme Dialogue" project developed an educational framework and resources, including guides, films, and testimonies, to support teachers and group facilitators to equip young people with skills to challenge hate and violent extremism in all its forms.
- Concordia University's "Project Someone" aims to build resilience against hate speech and radicalization to violence amongst elementary, secondary and post-secondary students by helping them to understand and counter hate and violent extremism in public communications and in the digital space.
- Simon Fraser University conducted a research project on international best practices focused on school-based and school-linked interventions that have been proven to promote social inclusion and positive connections to school for students. The aim was to learn how these policies and programs can be adapted to help prevent violent extremism in a Canadian context.
- MediaSmarts' project, My Voice is Louder Than Hate: Pushing Back Against Hate in Online Communities builds on their previous research, which found that while young Canadians feel it is important to speak out against hateful content, many do not because they don't know what to do or are afraid of making situations worse. MediaSmarts will develop classroom material for grade 9 and 10 students in Canada that will challenge common misconceptions about Internet culture, and encourage participants to use their voice to help set the online community's values and influence behavior in a positive and safe way.
Intervention Programs in Canada
Intervention programs provide targeted resources and support designed for individuals or groups at initial stages of radicalization to violence, and/or who have become directly involved in violent extremism. Some intervention approaches include:
- Working with individuals showing signs of vulnerability or risk, in order to build protective factors and divert them from pathways towards violent extremism;
- Providing appropriate tools to family members, peers and front-line practitioners – such as social workers, mental health professionals, or police officers – to intervene with those at risk; and,
- Assisting individuals who want to leave violent extremism behind.
Most interventions are led by health or social service professionals who address the needs and vulnerabilities of the individual. Depending on the complexity of the case, some interventions can involve professionals from various disciplines, such as health, employment, housing, policing, law, mental health, education, and child welfare services.
Below is a list of organizations that offer interventions to counter radicalization to violence. While each program is slightly different, their interventions are very similar.
More details about each program can be found by following the links to their websites. All organizations listed here receive, or have received, support from the Canada Centre.
However, the Canada Centre does not provide advice, manage, or obtain personal information about individual cases.
British Columbia
Shift BC
Shift BC is a civilian-led, non-enforcement violence prevention program that supports individuals who are vulnerable to the process of radicalization to violence. The program supports both voluntary and court-mandated participants with non-judgemental, safety-focused services while safeguarding their Charter-protected rights. Through partnerships with community-based service providers, supportive family and community relationships, and other collaborative initiatives, Shift BC helps participants and their loved ones strengthen their resilience, build healthier relationships, and work toward safer, more meaningful lives. The program is led by the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General and is part of British Columbia's Collaborative Public Safety Programs.
Website: https://shift.gov.bc.ca/
Ontario
Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA)
Yorktown Family Services' Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) program deploys rapid, mobile mental health and integrated care support across Ontario. ETA primarily serves individuals between the ages of 12 to 35 who might be involved with, at risk of, or present early stages of extremist activity and other related community safety issues. An interdisciplinary, holistic psychosocial response is used to stabilize mental health, social health and systemic risk factors that have the potential to lead to violence or other threats to public safety. The program also works closely with families and support networks to strengthen protective factors and promote long-term reintegration. The program provides engagement and intervention staff, therapists, case managers, peer support workers, and spiritual care staff with a rapid response and crisis support element if required. The ETA team also offers capacity building opportunities in the areas of threat assessment and engaging with people on the pathway towards violence.
Website: https://etaontario.ca/
Project ReSet
The John Howard Society of Ottawa (JHSO) is a non-profit, charitable organization committed to providing a broad range of evidence-based and outcome driven community services throughout Ottawa. The JHSO supports individuals and families who are at risk of, or have come into, conflict with the law. Their work includes the provision of prevention and intervention services, advocacy, public education, and community partnerships. Through its Project ReSet, the JHSO offers a multi-disciplinary, mobile case management service in Eastern Ontario to support individuals and families impacted by targeted violence influenced by hate, bias, or extremism. Project ReSet can provide prevention services for those at risk of involvement, intervention services aimed at disengagement from targeted violence and hate, as well as reintegration support for individuals who are incarcerated.
Phone: 613-789-7418 (request to be directed to Project ReSet)
FOCUS Toronto
FOCUS Toronto (Furthering Our Communities – Uniting Services) is a collaboration between the Toronto Police Service, the City of Toronto, and the United Way, who are partnering with over 190 local community organizations to reduce crime and improve community resilience. FOCUS operates seven weekly situation tables across Toronto, where each "table" enables local agencies with different mandates, such as health, employment, housing, legal aid, mental health, education, and child welfare services, to mobilize and respond when individuals have complex health and social needs, including cases of radicalization to violence. Yorktown Family Services and their Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) program are long time members of FOCUS Toronto that have developed deep specialization within the preventing and countering violent extremism field.
Prairies (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba)
Evolve
The Evolve program, operated by the Organization for the Prevention of Violence (OPV) across the Prairies, is an intervention program that supports individuals in moving away from extremist ideologies, conspiracy theories, grievances, or groups that justify violence. The Evolve program is also available to family members of individuals who espouse extremist beliefs, and to people who have been impacted by hate crimes or incidents. Services are free of costs, confidential, judgement-free, personalized, and available to anyone in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
Phone: 1-877-938-6580
Website: https://evolveprogram.ca/
ReDirect
The ReDirect program focuses on early intervention and prevention with youth before the process of radicalization occurs, or with youth who are in the early stages of radicalization to violence. The program is voluntary, and participants need to reside in Calgary and be between the ages of 12-18. The program is a partnership between the Calgary Police Service and the City of Calgary Recreation and Social programs. ReDirect also has access to a clinician through Recovery Alberta. The program has two streams: Education and Awareness, and Case Management.
Website: https://www.calgary.ca/cps/youth-programs-and-resources/youth-intervention/redirect.html
Quebec
Centre for the Prevention of Radicalization Leading to Violence (CPRLV)
By offering prevention, training and community support services, the Centre for the Prevention of Radicalization Leading to Violence's (CPRLV) mission is to prevent violence by fostering harmonious and inclusive living together within society. The organization offers a free service in order to support and equip anyone facing issues of radicalization leading to violence and hate-motivated acts in a confidential and safe space. It supports people affected by these realities: people directly concerned, relatives, teachers, members of the professional sector, and interveners in the field.
Phone: Montréal 514-687-7141 (or anywhere else across Québec 1-877-687-7141)
Website: https://info-radical.org/en/
Polarization Clinic
The Polarization Clinical Team is made up of social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and child psychiatrists who are experts on social polarization issues. Its goals are to provide specialized supports to individuals and families affected by radicalization, to reduce the distress associated with experiences of discrimination, and to offer rapid and confidential intervention within the community. Based in the local Integrated Health and Social Services Centre in Montreal, known by its French acronym CIUSSS, the Polarization Clinical Team benefits from the wide range of services offered by the CIUSSS network across the province, allowing it to operate in most locations across Quebec.
Phone: 514-267-3979
Website: https://www.ciussswestcentral.ca/programs-and-services/critical-incidents-and-crises/polarization-clinic/
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