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Why is PREVENT relevant to me?

As education training provider, The Sheffield College is required to teach students about PREVENT and promote the Fundamental British Values in our curriculum!

Many apprentices remember learning about PREVENT during induction but forget what it means or why it matters because they don’t always see how it relates to them.

This page will help you understand why PREVENT is important and how you can help society by spotting signs if someone might be getting involved with extremist ideas.

Terrorism could affect anyone, anytime, anywhere

In our day to day lives, we rarely imagine that we will be victims of a terrorist attack. Yet when incidents happen, they make national news headlines and the whole country is in shock, because these incidents were so unforeseen and unexpected.

Successfully carried out attacks

Below real examples of terrorist attacks in the UK over the past few years. Click on the pictures to learn the full stories on Wikipedia. Each one happened for different reasons — it’s important to understand how varied these threats can be.

Manchester Arena bombing

22/05/2017 (33 died, 1017 injured)

Religiously motivated

7/7 London bombings

07/07/2005 (52 died, 700 injured)

Religiously motivated

Finsbury Park attack

19/06/2017 (1 died, 9 injured)

Range of possible motivations including mental illness, drug abuse and anti-religious/political sentiments

London Bridge attack

03/06/2017 (8 died, 48 injured)

Religiously motivated

Murder of Jo Cox

16/06/2016 (1 died)

Politically motivated (right wing)

Attacks by Pavlo Lapshyn

April - June 2013 (1 died, other bombs detonated)

Racially and anti-religiously motivated

Prevented attacks

Here are some examples where the police, MI5, or other counter-terrorism teams stopped attacks before they happened. Click the pictures to find out more about each case.

Birmingham terror plot

02/08/2017

Fatah Mohammed Abdullah

20/03/2020

Mohiussunnath Chowdhury

10/02/2020

Prevent Success Stories.pdf

Home Office success stories report

This report from the Home Office lists several success stories where individuals were supported through PREVENT, CHANNEL and by partner civil society organisations.

Open the report in another tab

How does PREVENT and terrorism impact my workplace/sector?

Most people don’t think terrorists would be interested in everyday jobs or workplaces that seem pretty normal. But the truth is, they often want to get access to certain materials, information, or places that are part of regular jobs. These things can be important for their plans. Below are some examples showing why some ordinary jobs or industries might actually catch the attention of terrorists. Knowing this helps us stay alert to potential risks in all kinds of workplaces.

Hair Salons, Pharmacies and Retail

We don’t often think of everyday places as dangerous, but you might work somewhere that uses or sells liquids and mixtures containing hazardous chemicals. These could be used to carry out attacks. Even common items like cleaning products, medicines, and cosmetics can have flammable or explosive substances.

Be alert if a customer buys unusually large amounts of these potentially dangerous products—that could be a warning sign.

Schools and young people's services

Terrorist attacks in UK schools are very rare, but schools and places working with young people are often targeted by extremist groups. That’s because young people can be more vulnerable to radicalisation and recruitment.

As an apprentice, you’re part of the education system, so PREVENT applies to you too. Even if you don’t think you’re at risk, you might be close to someone who is—and you could help spot people who need support.

Hospitals, policing and emergency services

Healthcare, policing, and emergency services are vital for everyone. Because of this, terrorists often target these services to cause widespread fear, disruption, and lower public morale.

Health and social care workers also meet more people with serious mental health issues than many other jobs, which can increase their risk of encountering vulnerable individuals.

Even if you don’t work in health or social care, you might live near someone with severe mental health challenges who could be at risk of radicalisation. As a neighbour, your awareness and cooperation can be crucial to keeping the community safe if you notice anything suspicious.

Religious organisations

Religious extremism is currently seen as one of the biggest threats in the UK and Europe, with the potential to radicalise people toward extremist causes.

Most religious institutions are peaceful, but since major religions have many different groups and movements, someone in a positive community might still come across extremist views from another group. Changes in Britain’s social values can also upset some people and increase tensions.

On the opposing side, because some religions such as Islam are predominantly followed by ethnic minorities, followers are unintentionally more vulnerable to anti-religious or racial extremism.

Even if you don’t take part in religious activities, you might work with someone who is attracted to extreme religious or anti-religious ideas but otherwise seems like a normal person.

Legal and accounting sectors

Legal and accounting services aren’t usually direct targets for terrorism, but they are high-risk areas for money laundering and fraud. Extremist groups may try to use these sectors to get the funds they need for their activities.

You might need training on anti-fraud, bribery, and corruption, and it’s important to know your organisation’s whistleblowing policy so you can report anything suspicious.

Construction and home maintenance

Plumbers, carpenters, plasterers, and bricklayers usually work on building sites or in people’s homes and might not think terrorism affects them. But terrorists live in houses too, and sometimes their homes need repairs. You could be asked to work at the home of someone who is vulnerable to radicalisation and extremism.

If your job means visiting people’s homes, remember you might be the only person outside their close circle to see inside. If you spot extremist materials or anything suspicious, you could be the only one who can report it to the police.