The RAN YOUNG Working Group is looking for two co-chairs. This Working Group is made up of young people (between the ages of 18 and 25) who wish to actively contribute to the prevention of radicalisation. Professionals, close to the age of the target audience, experts on youth involvement in PVE and who can act as role models for the young participants, are invited to register their interest to co-chair. Candidates should have experience with youth empowerment programmes and/or have set up their own local P/CVE initiative. We would refer to them as experienced youth influencers/leaders.

Working closely with the RAN CoE, the Working Group leaders will be involved in the development of the RAN YOUNG Empowerment Academy. In 2019, the Working Group leaders will steer four sessions of the Academy and guide the young participants in between sessions to set up their own initiatives. The Working Group leaders should demonstrate qualities that will enable them to function as role models for young people.

Work within RAN is steered by Working Group leaders in close collaboration with the RAN CoE, the Steering Committee (for more details, see Section 8) and the European Commission.

RAN Working Group co-chair profile
Steer, animate and organise the work of a Working Group by:

• contributing to the preparation and reporting on a work plan for the Working Group,
• mapping and selecting members and participants, and encouraging them to contribute to the Working Group,
• developing ex ante papers to inform discussions within the Working Group,
• identifying best practices, and steering the peer review of those within the Working Group to contribute to the RAN Collection, and
• formulating policy recommendations.

Contribute to the activities of the CoE, by:

• being a member of the RAN Steering Committee and, as such, contributing to other activities of the CoE (such as proposals and organisation of cross-cutting events, development of tailor-made services for Member States, development and provision of training services, selection of topics of issue papers and policy recommendations, mapping exercise of possible relationships with international organisations or representing RAN at international conferences).
• formulating knowledge gaps that could be addressed through research.

Lead a group of practitioners, by:

• having substantial practitioner expertise and experience – either being a practitioner yourself or representing a practitioners’ organisation,
• possessing a track record on the topic/sector of your Working Group, such as coordination of the local multi-agency cooperation to prevent radicalisation,
• being able to include and bridge opposing views of fellow practitioners.

Be a RAN ambassador, by:

• (re)presenting RAN and the Working Group,
• promoting the need for preventing radicalisation,
• encouraging multi-actor cooperation, and collaborating with other Working Groups,
• understanding the different circumstances and cultures across the EU.

Please note the following:

• The working language is English.
• In addition to the four meetings of the Working Group and the four meetings of the Steering Committee, Working Group chairs participate in a limited number of other events.
• Both a senior and a junior staff member of the CoE will support the Working Group and its leadership.
• A monthly allowance of €400 is offered for leading a Working Group, and is to be equally shared between the two co-chairs.   
• RAN travels and hotel accommodations of Working Group chairs are arranged and covered by the CoE.

Selection procedure
Please study the above tasks and description of the RAN YOUNG Working Group and our plans and decide whether you and your organisation fit the focus of one of these. If this is the case (if you match the profile above, and if your organisation is committed to delivering on this contribution), we invite you to register your interest and to clarify your capability to chair a Working Group. Fill in the template below and submit it to applications@radareurope.nl, no later than Wednesday 28 November 2018. For more information, please contact Pomme Woltman ( p.woltman@radaradvies.nl ).

The RAN CoE will present candidate co-chairs to the Commission, which will select and appoint them. Finally, appraisal of the appointments by the RAN Steering Committee[1] meeting is foreseen. In the selection procedure, we will strive for a balanced representation of all EU regions and a balance between male and female chairs.

Template to register your interest

More information about RAN and RAN YOUNG
The Radicalisation Awareness Network – a practitioners’ network

The Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN) connects frontline practitioners around Europe working daily with those vulnerable to radicalisation, as well as those who have already been radicalised. As teachers, social workers, community police officers etc., they are engaged in preventing and countering radicalisation and violent extremism in all its forms, or in reintegrating violent extremists. Since it was founded in 2011, RAN has attracted over 3,500 frontline professionals from all EU Member States.

RAN gathers frontline practitioners to address local challenges or specific issues related to violent extremism, and to exchange with experts on new insights into tackling radicalisation. In Working Groups (WGs), they engage with peers from around Europe, forming new, long-lasting relationships, drawing on inspiration from one another and from peer-reviewed best practices.

Each RAN Working Group is chaired by two professionals close to the target audience of that particular Working Group. They join the CoE and the European Commission to form the RAN Steering Committee. Chaired by the Commission, the Steering Committee guides the network and its CoE and meets four times a year

RAN YOUNG 2018 -2019

In 2018, RAN YOUNG contributed to the RAN practitioners network by providing unique perspectives of young people on the topic of holding difficult conversations. What are difficult topics for young people? How do they think frontline practitioners should discuss these topics? Participants formulated recommendations for teachers, youth workers and mental health workers. Also, RAN YOUNG contributed to the practitioners’ network by reviewing a selected group of practices which are included in the RAN Collection and proposed improvements. These two activities specifically fulfilled the aim of RAN YOUNG to contribute in a valuable way to the RAN network of practitioners by adding their fresh perspective and insights.

RAN YOUNG did not only exchange with practitioners, but also with policymakers. After a joint meeting with RAN C&N about involving young people in developing counter and alternative narratives targeted at young people, a Policy & Practice event followed on the same topic.  Policymakers, practitioners and young people from different EU countries came together to discuss how authorities can support and enhance the creation of effective counter- and alternative narratives and how young people can get involved.

Another aim of RAN YOUNG in 2018 was to connect with other youth initiatives focusing on P/CVE. In 2018, RAN YOUNG cooperated with YouthCAN (ISD), Extremely Together and #YouthWagingPeace at a meeting on youth empowerment. This was the starting point of the RAN YOUNG Academy that will be launched in 2019. RAN YOUNG will officially function as a full-fledged Working Group in 2019.

2019 – The RAN YOUNG Empowerment Academy

The RAN YOUNG Empowerment Academy is a programme for young people with a focus on capacity building. The Academy is set to provide young participants with everything they need to learn to create their own local P/CVE initiative. The group will consist of young people between the ages of 18 and 25 who would like to actively participate in P/CVE. In the Academy, they will work on their personal development, become educated on the topic P/CVE (knowledge development), develop skills and competences needed to become a youth influencer. They will also gain the skills and competencies needed to set up their local sustainable P/CVE initiative (professional development). In cooperation with the two Working Group leaders, the CoE will develop a programme that will focus on capacity building of in these categories.

The aim: Each participating couple or group of youngsters will set up their own local PVE initiative. Success will be ensured by dedicating enough time to guide the young couples and the selection process of youngsters and Working Group leaders. The guidance will be a joint effort of the RAN YOUNG Working Group leaders, the RAN CoE and local mentors. This will be organised in a structured manner.

Target audience: A pre-selected group will participate in all four sessions. The participants are young people between the ages of 18 and 25 who apply to the Academy in couples or small groups. They should have a promising idea for setting up a local initiative in their local areas and be committed to participating in the Academy for the full year of 2019. This means they will commit to: setting up a local PVE initiative, attending four sessions, writing reflection and progress reports, staying in contact with their local mentor, the CoE and the Working Group leaders in between the Academy sessions. They may be students, young activists, people with a personal relation to radicalisation and young frontline practitioners.  

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[1] The Steering Committee (SC) shall be made up of the Commission (chair), representatives of the RAN CoE (including the managing Director, as well as the different account managers for the different Working Groups and the Quality Manager), the active Working Group leaders, and other members appointed by the Commission. Its role and main tasks are to steer the work of the RAN CoE and, in particular, to:
a)            Provide strategic orientations, set priorities for the work of the RAN (Centre) and steer discussions in relation to a number of activities of the RAN (Centre), including inter alia the annual activity plans, major events (e.g. High-Level Conference), the deployment of RAN expertise; focus of research-related activities and proposals for working relationships with other/international bodies and networks and third countries;
b)            Validate peer evaluations and the inclusion of new practices into the RAN Collection;
c)            Provide its opinion on working arrangements, such as the new Charter and new Rules of Procedure, as well as proposals for amendments where appropriate;
d)            Ensure the proper functioning of RAN in accordance with its Charter and Rules of Procedure and the delivery of work and activities in accordance with the annual activity plans.
e)            Approve designation of RAN Working group leaders (appointed at a later stage by the Commission).

Any proposals for actions submitted by Working Group leaders, if they are costs-related, should be validated by DG HOME. The RAN Rules of Procedure contain provisions on the composition, chairing, and meetings of the Steering Committee, as well as on decision-making and voting arrangements.

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