FAMILIES concerned about relatives becoming radicalised were able to attend a new workshop in Ealing on Tuesday in a campaign to help recognise early signs.
The London-based civil society organisation Families Against Stress and Trauma (FAST) held the workshop as part of its Families Matter campaign.
The workshop, held in partnership with Acton Community Forum and Ealing Council, was attended by members of the local community of all ages, faiths and backgrounds.
Participants shared their own experiences and discussed the impact of radicalisation and possible signs to look out for.
The Families Matter campaign aims to provide support and guidance to parents and anyone else concerned that their loved ones may be vulnerable to radicalisation or to being targeted by extremists.
FAST hopes that by using real life case studies and providing expert advice, that parents will feel empowered to intervene and stop radicalisation at its early stages.
As part of the campaign, FAST will visit several communities across the UK, to reach out to parents and families through a series of workshops, film screenings and one-to-one advice sessions.
Saleha Jaffer, founder of FAST, said: “We want attendees to leave these sessions feeling empowered and aware of the resources, support and practical advice available to them if they are concerned about someone close to them.
“Family members know their loved ones better than anyone, and are best positioned to intervene if they have concerns a loved one is at risk of radicalisation. By having the knowledge and skills to reach out, the love of a mother, father, sister or brother can make the difference.
“The first in our Families Matter workshop programme, today’s session showed the strong desire of the local community in Ealing to discuss and build resilience against radicalisation and extremism.”
The work of FAST has been personally endorsed by Prime Minister Theresa May and Helen Ball, UK Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, both of whom have attended previous events hosted by the organisation.
If you have concerns about a loved one that might be affected, you may want to raise the issue with someone you trust, perhaps a friend of family member who knows them well. Please visit: http://familiesmatter.org.uk/take-action/spot-the-signs/
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