1. SGSU Open Meeting 26 April 2016 Sophie Bowen
The government Prevent agenda - understanding the St George's response and how we can work with students and societies
SGSU Open Meeting
26 April 2016
Sophie Bowen

2. The Prevent Duty The Duty Requirements of the guidance
Balancing legal duties
Key areas: events and individuals
Promoting Good Campus Relations
Next steps

3. The Prevent Duty This is not new
“…duty on ‘specified authorities’, when exercising their functions, to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. Extremism and non-violent extremism are seen as producing an environment conducive to people being draw into terrorism, so the duty extends to not creating an atmosphere conducive to terrorism and challenging extremist views.
This is terrorism of any form so could be religious, cultural or political.
Compliance with the Prevent duty “requires that properly thought through procedures and policies are in place…and properly followed and applied”.
This is not new
new is the specific requirements & monitoring

4. The Prevent Duty Active engagement from senior management
Institutional risk assessment and action plan
Sufficient and effective staff training
Procedures for sharing information internally and externally “about vulnerable individuals”
Chaplaincy support & policies for use of prayer rooms
IT policies – reference and consider filters
Policies for working on sensitive or extremism-related research, for staff and students
Ensuring clarity on working with SUs (as a separate org)
Complying with any monitoring requirements
External speakers / events

5. Balancing legal duties
Education (No. 2) Act 1986 section 43 – statutory obligation of institutions to take reasonably practicable steps to ensure that freedom of speech within the law is secured for members, staff, students and visiting speakers – ensure the use of premises is not denied on the basis of the views of that person/body or on the basis of the policy/objectives of that body
ECHR – right to freedom of expression, right of freedom of thought, conscience or religion
Equality Act – protect from harassment (unwanted conduct... violate dignity or creating degrading… offensive… intimidating environment)

6. The Prevent Duty – key areas
Management of external speakers and events
safeguards in place
not providing a platform for offences to be committed
having a system for assessing and rating risks associated with any planned events, and for mitigating risks
institutions need to consider in advance whether “the views being expressed, or likely to be expressed, constitute extremist views that risk drawing people into terrorism or are shared by terrorist groups”

8. Promoting Good Campus Relations
Policies and procedures
GCR Group
Collaboration & liaison
Focus on freedom within the law
Supporting Vulnerable Students
Identifying students with radical views and responding appropriately (pastoral support, referring on to various agencies etc.)
Personal tutoring arrangements
Prevent and related training
Clarity on raising concerns
Encouraging open debate & tolerance

9. Prevent – integrated approach

10. Next steps Compliance activities
Training plan – extending beyond front-line staff, awaiting UUK online training
Communications plan – sharing information, approach, support for staff and students
Student engagement – your views?
What more should we do?
Resources

12. Monitoring and Compliance
Initial self assessment on state of preparedness – submitted 
1 April – full set of documentation (risk assessment, action plan, all policies and procedures, narrative summary report)
1 December – first full monitoring (annual report – update on above + data on events, training) signed off by Council
5 yearly review cycle
+ serious incidents whenever they occur
Does not cover SU (as a separate charitable organisation) but does cover SU events held on SGUL premises. Does not cover UNic or placements outside SGUL premises, but does cover SGUL branded events off site.
HEFCE BIS Home Office ‘power of direction’….