A Counter Narrative campaign is usually an intervention, either online or offline or across both platforms that offers a positive alternative to extremist propaganda OR aims to deconstruct or delegitimise extremist narratives. Campaigns can range from YouTube style social experiments widely disseminated on social media, to undertaking direct street challenges to extremists.
Who is it for?
Counter Narrative Campaigns are created for user groups depending upon identified need and desired target audience. Counter or Alternative Narrative campaigns will usually form a component of another programme, and occasionally may be commissioned independently as a standalone intervention.
What is it?
A Counter Narrative campaign is usually an intervention, either online or offline or across both platforms that offers a positive alternative to extremist propaganda OR aims to deconstruct or delegitimise extremist narratives. Campaigns can range from YouTube style social experiments widely disseminated on social media, to undertaking direct street challenges to extremists.
How long does it take?
Each campaign is bespoke and usually in response to an identified need. Some campaigns we have ran have last a couple of months whereas other campaigns are run on an on-going basis and clients are able to contribute to elements.
What it involves?
Designing a bespoke counter narrative campaign which will highlight a specific need/cause/problem (the narrative) and then identify, develop and disseminate the ‘solution’ (counter or alternative narratives). We will take responsibility for the delivery of the campaign and manage all the marketing, online and off line engagements and monitor the impact of the campaign.
What it achieves?
The programme enables recipients and participants to focus on what they are for (rather than against) by offering positive stories about shared values, open-mindedness, freedom and democracy.
Over the course of a campaign participants and beneficiaries will gain skills in:
- Countering violent extremism – the power to challenge simplistic narratives, air grievances constructively, interrogate complex arguments, and develop confidence in confronting persuasive and emotive rhetoric with autonomously generated alter-narratives
- Knowledge about extremism – understanding of how people can be drawn towards groups and ideologies that offer firm black-and-white solutions. They will become competent and confident in relaying to peers how radicalisation occurs and the futility of extremism and violence in achieving one’s aims.
- ‘Other’ awareness – an increased capacity for cognitive, emotional and compassionate empathy; an ability to analyse the motivations for behaviour, viewing things from a different perspective and overcoming fear of ‘the other’