Extreme Dialogue - Chris and Damian's story

A counter-extremism educational resource that aims to reduce the appeal of extremism and offer a positive alternative to the increasing amounts of extremist material and propaganda available online. A series of short documentary films tell the stories of those profoundly affected by violent extremism; a former member of the extreme far-right and a mother whose son was killed fighting for ISIS in Syria. The films are accompanied by a set of open access educational resources (online Prezi presentations and resource packs), all of which can be found at www.extremedialogue.org. The resources can be used with young people aged 14-18 in classrooms or community settings and are intended to build resilience to extremism and radicalisation through active discussion and enhanced critical thinking. The educational resources contain over 7 hours of films, structured classroom exercises and group activities and provide opportunities for exploration and learning around extremism. They can be used over the course of a term with an hour long lesson a week, or as a half day workshop. These resources enable robust conversations to take place around what can be a difficult and sensitive topic, aiming to develop young people's understanding of extremism. Moreover, Extreme Dialogue seeks to increase teacher confidence in tackling this subject, providing a way to develop a basic understanding of how to teach about extremism.