PRospero

Prospero

Funded by the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF)

Overall Objective

PROSPERO
PROSPERO Project

The PROSPERO project aims to prevent violent extremism (PVE) by addressing key risk factors through education, socio-economic empowerment, and community-driven interventions. The project strengthens local and central institutions, enhances referral mechanisms, and fosters resilience among vulnerable populations.

Specific Objectives​

Mental Health Support for Vulnerable Groups:

  • Provide clinical assessments and therapeutic interventions for children and young adults affected by radicalization or conflict exposure.
  • Train mental health professionals and frontline workers in trauma-informed approaches.

 

Family and Community Engagement:

  • Conduct tailored training sessions for parents, caregivers, and school personnel to improve their capacity in identifying and addressing risks of extremism.
  • Implement positive discipline training and parental support programs to build family resilience.

 

Empowering At-Risk Youth and Communities:

  • Facilitate educational programs, vocational training, and digital literacy initiatives to provide positive alternatives to radicalization.
  • Enhance community dialogue through forum theatre, healing through arts, and youth-led initiatives promoting inclusivity and resilience.

 

Strengthening Institutional Capacities for Prevention & Response;

  • Develop and enhance municipal referral mechanisms to identify and support the rehabilitation and reintegration (R&R) of returnees from foreign conflicts.
  • Provide structured training for government institutions at both the local and national levels to improve policy coordination and intervention strategies.
  • Ensure the effective implementation of Kosovo’s national strategy for countering extremism through capacity-building programs.

Target Groups​

  • National and local institutions, including municipal referral teams, educators, law enforcement, social workers, and health professionals, receive support to strengthen their capacity in rehabilitation and reintegration (R&R) efforts.
  • Children and youth, particularly returnees from conflict zones and minority groups, benefit from educational, social, and mental health support, fostering inclusivity and resilience.
  • Students gain access to new education programs that enhance digital literacy, critical thinking, and awareness of radicalization risks. Parents, caregivers, and educational staff—key actors in countering radicalization—receive training to strengthen their ability to provide guidance and reintegration support.
  • Additionally, the general population benefits from informational campaigns, public awareness events, and advocacy initiatives, promoting a more informed and resilient society against extremist influences.

Core Project Activities

Institutional Strengthening & Referral Mechanism Development

The activities focuses on building the capacity of municipal referral teams and frontline institutions to enhance their ability to identify, assess, and intervene in cases of radicalization and violent extremism. Training sessions for law enforcement, educators, social workers, and municipal staff strengthen interagency collaboration and case management. The Channel Training program, successfully delivered by local trainers for the first time in Kosovo, equips referral teams in key municipalities with practical tools to assess vulnerabilities and coordinate intervention efforts. Additionally, structured training-of-trainers (ToT) programs empower local professionals to sustain and scale these efforts independently.

 

Public Awareness & Advocacy

This activity enhances community awareness and public engagement through strategic communication and education initiatives:

  • TED Talks, public forums, and interactive discussions feature experts, returnees, and community leaders, fostering open dialogue on extremism, radicalization, and reintegration challenges.
  • Multimedia awareness campaigns counter extremist narratives by promoting positive role models, alternative narratives, and fact-based counterarguments.
  • University courses on digital literacy and PVE (Preventing Violent Extremism) integrate sustainable knowledge-sharing within academic institutions, equipping future professionals with tools to counter violent extremism.

 

Mental Health & Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)

This activity addresses the psychosocial and emotional needs of returnee children and other vulnerable youth through structured assessments and targeted therapeutic interventions.

  • Comprehensive clinical assessments for 64 children evaluate trauma-related challenges, social development barriers, and mental health risks.
  • Individualized therapeutic follow-up sessions for 20 children provide speech therapy, trauma-informed care, and social skills development tailored to specific needs.
  • Training programs for mental health professionals and frontline workers ensure that trauma-sensitive approaches are embedded within local support structures and municipal services.

 

Education & Community Engagement

The activities enhance youth and community resilience through education, arts-based interventions, and structured dialogue.

  • Digital literacy training and counter-narrative education equip students with critical thinking skills to identify and counter extremist content online.
  • Forum Theatre and Healing Through Arts programs promote empathy, social inclusion, and resilience by engaging children in creative expression, storytelling, and role-playing activities.
  • Training for educators and youth workers strengthens their ability to identify early signs of radicalization and intervene effectively.
  • Parent & Pupil Councils are established to promote dialogue, inclusivity, and proactive community engagement in preventing radicalization in school environments.

Budget

$ 700,000

Implementation Period

01.03. 2024 – 01. 09. 2026 

Funding

Funded by the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF)

Partner (s)

  • Integra;
  • Jahjaga Foundation (JF)
  • Institute of Psychology

Ref. Number

WBK-R3-03

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