Societal polarization and radicalization among young people are pressing challenges across Europe. Political debates have become increasingly divisive. Social media algorithms amplify extreme positions. Communities struggle to maintain constructive dialogue across ideological differences. Whether manifesting as far-right ideologies, religious extremism, or conspiracy-driven radicalization, the pathways toward extremism often share common features: a search for identity and belonging, grievances real or perceived, exposure to extremist narratives, and social isolation. Youth workers, social workers, and educators are often the first to notice early warning signs. They observe behavioral changes and increasingly rigid worldviews. They see young people withdrawing from diverse social contacts and adopting us-versus-them narratives. Yet many practitioners feel unprepared to respond. They lack specific knowledge about polarization dynamics and radicalization processes. They struggle to distinguish concerning behavior from normal adolescent identity exploration. They fear that raising concerns might stigmatize young people or push them further toward extremist networks. Against this background, the project partners want to develop their competences further to contribute to quality improvement in youth work, specifically with young people affected by or at risk of polarization and radicalization. To reach this aim, the project will pursue three distinct objectives: • To strengthen the educational competences of youth workers in recognizing and addressing societal polarization and radicalization through dialogue-based approaches • To extend hands-on guidelines on prevention-focused non-formal education for young people at risk • To foster cooperation between the participants and the project partners on prevention work for the personal development and democratic participation of young people With these objectives, the project aims to address needs that the project partners have identified through their work with young people in polarized communities and diverse educational settings across Europe. The needs are: On the level of youth workers: • Better understanding of the dynamics of societal polarization and how they create conditions for radicalization • Knowledge of educational practices for prevention and early intervention with at-risk young people • Practical experience in using dialogue-based approaches to address polarization and build social cohesion • Skills to facilitate critical discussions about extremism, identity, and belonging • Peer-to-peer exchange with other practitioners working on prevention in diverse European contexts On the level of organisations working in the youth field: • A diverse pool of qualified educators capable of addressing polarization and radicalization in their work • Educational resources that provide applicable guidelines for prevention-focused youth work • Learning opportunities for youth workers for professional development on this increasingly relevant topic To address these needs and achieve the three objectives, the project is designed based on the following assumptions: • Quality improvement in youth work depends on the professional qualification of youth workers. To increase active participation of young people at risk of polarization or radicalization, youth educators need to understand how to work in a prevention-focused, dialogue-based manner. • For quality improvement to become embedded into organisational practices, three conditions must come together: qualified professionals, available educational resources providing needs-based and applicable guidelines, and a supportive network allowing for continuous exchange of practices with like-minded organisations. Accordingly, the project is composed of a tailor-made blended educational programme consisting of four interlinked educational activities (2 preparatory e-courses, 2 residential training courses) that provide space for: 1. Competence development of youth workers through peer-to-peer knowledge exchange (1st training course) and practical learning in the form of a training-the-educator course (2nd training course) 2. The development of educational resources by the participants to ensure these materials are applicable and needs-based for both the participants and the partner organisations 3. Planning of follow-up activities on prevention-focused youth work at local and international levels