By Julia Nowecki (Violence Prevention Network Academy)
In early March 2026, I delivered a three-day intensive training workshop in Perth, Western Australia. Bringing together 14 practitioners from a range of professional backgrounds, the training was organised by the Countering Violent Extremism Unit of Western Australia Police Force, and created a valuable space for interdisciplinary exchange, practical learning, and critical reflection.
The participants – psychologists and social workers from police, education, and justice – shared a common challenge: navigating complex cases where progress is rarely linear and success can be difficult to define. Questions around how to assess cases holistically, plan interventions for genuine disengagement and setting realistic goals in casework, are central to their daily work. This workshop was designed precisely to address these challenges, with a focus on how to measure impact in a meaningful way.
A practice-oriented and reflective approach
The training combined theoretical input with hands-on exercises, peer learning, and case-based discussions. Rather than introducing an entirely new framework, the approach built on existing practices familiar to the Australian context, while offering structured tools and fresh perspectives to enhance participants’ work.
A key feature of the workshop was its strong emphasis on applicability. Through group work, practicing case work methods and guided reflection, participants were able to immediately test and adapt new tools within the context of their own professional realities. The diversity of the group further enriched the learning process, enabling valuable peer exchange and mutual learning across disciplines.
Day 1: Comprehensive case assessment in disengagement work
The first day focused on holistic case assessment. Participants were introduced to the Social Diagnostics approach developed by Violence Prevention Network’s research department, which provides a structured way of analysing complex cases by looking at individual needs that may have fuelled the radicalisation process, social environments, and available resources.
Through practical exercises, participants explored biographical work methods, discussing how to better understand client trajectories, motivations, and underlying factors contributing to radicalisation and finding ways to make casework more creative and trust-building with the client easier. Particular attention was given to identifying both risk and protective factors, laying the groundwork for more targeted and sustainable disengagement strategies.
Day 2: From engagement to intervention planning and measuring impact
The second day brought together several key elements of effective casework: how to engage clients, how to translate analysis into concrete planning, and how to think about impact from the outset.
The day began with a focus on opening casework sessions. Participants explored creative and intentional ways to start conversations, aiming to foster trust, reduce barriers, and encourage clients to open. This set the tone for a broader discussion on session design and the importance of choosing appropriate methods depending on the situation and the individual.
Building on this, participants engaged in a deeper holistic case analysis using case studies. They worked collaboratively to assess needs alongside risk and protective factors, applying structured approaches to better understand complex client situations.
The core of the day focused on moving from analysis to intervention. Participants practised developing intervention strategies and defining realistic, measurable goals. Emphasis was placed on making goals actionable and meaningful within the context of disengagement processes.
The final part of the day introduced different approaches to impact measurement in P/CVE casework. Through discussion and group work, participants explored how to define success, how to recognise signs of disengagement, and how to make progress visible. This encouraged a more reflective and evidence-informed perspective on their own practice.
Day 3: Intervention methods and navigating challenges
The third day shifted the focus towards concrete intervention methods and the relational aspects of casework. It began with practical approaches to building trust and fostering connection, emphasising the importance of creating a safe and open environment for clients.
Participants were then introduced to a range of intervention methods grounded in the Social Diagnostics framework. These focused on exploring social and support networks, values, belief systems, and patterns of thinking, as well as identifying opportunities for change. Within group work settings, participants applied these methods and reflected on their relevance for different case contexts.
A significant part of the day was dedicated to addressing challenges in P/CVE casework. Participants shared experiences and discussed difficult situations, exploring strategies and best practices for working with particularly complex cases or individuals who have certain resistances to participate in a counselling process. This peer exchange highlighted both common challenges and diverse approaches to overcoming them.
The training concluded with a forward-looking discussion, giving space for open questions, reflection on key learnings, and consideration of how the methods and approaches can be integrated into participants’ daily work.
Strengthening practice through structure and exchange
Across all three days, the training emphasised the importance of structured, goal-oriented, and reflective practice. Participants strengthened their ability to conduct comprehensive case assessments, design effective interventions, and evaluate their work in a systematic way.
Equally important was the opportunity for interdisciplinary exchange. Bringing together psychologists and social workers from education, justice, and police contexts fostered new perspectives and reinforced the value of collaboration in addressing complex cases.
Looking Ahead
By the end of the workshop, participants left with not only new tools and methods, but also a clearer framework for thinking about their work. The ability to define realistic goals, measure progress, and reflect critically on interventions is essential for sustainable disengagement processes, and for demonstrating impact and positive behaviour change on a case-level in a credible way.
This training highlighted that while disengagement work will always involve uncertainty and complexity, structured approaches and shared expertise can significantly enhance effectiveness. The strong engagement of the group and the depth of discussion throughout the three days underscored both the challenges practitioners face and their commitment to addressing them.
As the demand for effective P/CVE work continues to grow, such practice-oriented and collaborative training formats remain a crucial element in supporting professionals on the ground. The prevention of radicalisation can only be effective if we collaborate and share best practices across sectors and boarders.
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