Building resilience and prevention in schools

During their adolescent years, young people are in the process of learning, exploring different worldviews, and developing opinions. This is a period of growth and development which is centred on a process of identity construction, particularly in terms of beliefs, values, motivations, and personalities. It is a phase of life full of challenges within an interconnected and complex world that can lead to difficulties in orientation, and the search for strong cultural and value models capable of guiding them within various social realities. A time in their life’s that is often characterised by uncertainties, fears, guilt, and anxieties that can be exploited by extremist individuals and organisations, that offer the most vulnerable people divisive narratives based on an “Us vs. Them” or a "Them vs. Us" division of the world. These narratives frequently identify scapegoats for the hardships, suffering, and issues present in our societies, using stereotypes and conspiracy theories.