Australian schools are about to get more resources to counter the promotion of violent extremism by some Islamic groups.
The Australian Multicultural Foundation has developed an online program which will be available in the next month or so to complement the existing work it’s been doing in this area.
Stopping young people from being radicalised is something a growing number of schools are interested in.
The Executive Director of the Australian Multicultural Foundation, Hass Dellal says teachers are asking for more support.
“We’re now getting a lot of interest from school teachers as well who are wanting to have an understanding about prevention as they do with any other prevention program but more importantly where do they go for support and how do they recognize signs that may go beyond depression or results of bullying or drug addiction or criminality and how can it actually lead to this path as well so I think it’s really good teachers are interested in some of this material. We’re getting council officers, we’re getting local councils, they don’t want to be complacent, they want to be aware.”
The Foundation is in the process of finalising an online program that can be used by schools.
Hass Dellal acknowleges the online space is one area where young people are being recruited to radical groups and says enlisting young people to be part of contributing to a counter narrative is crucial.
“I think those young men that have gone and have actually realized it’s not what it is to be able to capture their voices at some stage in that counter-narrative. A program we’re currently working on as well with a group of young people who are developing a counter-narrative in the voices and in the language used by ISIS where they’re wanting to develop a range of narratives themselves and be able to not only use this online but to be able to use this in a format, like in a role play to be able to recreate situations and scenarios and be able to then provide a counter-narrative to those scenarios that a provided by these other groups.”
In February, a school principal in Melbourne claimed two children at a government school had parents who were fighting for the Islamic State in Syria.
The principal and the school were not identified but Peter Kearney from the Australian Principals Federation told Fairfax Radio he had no reason not to believe the claim.
“It would appear to be the case at this stage. I can’t give you conclusive evidence but I can tell you that I’m very sure I believe the information that’s been given.”
Doctor Jan Ali is a senior lecturer in Islam and Modernity at the University of Western Sydney.
He says radicalisation has many causes and while the online world is one area of focus he says it’s necessary to look beyond that to a range of areas especially where young people are educated about Islam.
“Educational systems, Muslim educational centres, mosques, for example. At community level, whether that be in the context of socialisation because young people socialize with each other and that is also a very important area, if you like, where exchange of ideas could potentially lead to something like violent extremism.”
Doctor Ali says one of the major causes of radicalisation is what he calls a lack of education about Islam.
“A vast majority of Muslims, whether they be in Australia or elsewhere, do not understand or have a solid appreciation of the religion Islam. Islamic education, particularly for these people need to involve a robust and systematic process so that they can be educated rather rationally and with an approach that opens up their minds rather than takes a very narrow approach to religion.”