Identifying and preventing violent radicalisation – VALIANT tool for assessing vulnerability to violent radicalisation and support needs

The VALIANT tool is a digital instrument designed for professionals in situations where concerns have been raised about a person’s possible vulnerability to violent radicalisation. It is intended to support professionals in client work.

VALIANT (Assessment of Radicalisation Vulnerability and Support Needs) was developed at THL for professional use in Finland. VALIANT is a tool for professional assessment and service coordination, not a risk assessment method. It provides information on protective factors, alarming observations and factors increasing vulnerability, as well as guidelines for addressing concerns and planning follow-up steps.

VALIANT is best used either individually or with a colleague as a basis for client work. It helps you consider the person’s individual support needs and the need for service guidance comprehensively.

Go to the VALIANT tool (in Finnish)

How does VALIANT support your work?

VALIANT helps you to:

• identify early signs of violent radicalisation
• identify the person’s protective and predisposing factors
• assess individual support needs
• structure your own observations and information
• plan and carry out further actions

VALIANT also indicates gaps in your information – use these when planning next steps.

How to use the tool: step by step

1. Open the VALIANT tool
   VALIANT tool (in Finnish)
2. When answering the questionnaire, keep in mind: the basic information about the person (age, gender, relationship to you, your observations and the reason for concern).
3. Complete the questionnaire in three parts:
   • Part 1: Protective factors
     Start with strengths. Assess the internal and external resources that support wellbeing. Pay attention to factors that support inclusion and a non -violent identity. If you do not know, choose “I don’t know”.
   • Part 2: Alarming indicators
     Assess the risk factors you have observed. The more of them accumulate, the more urgent the response should be. Use professional judgement and remember that you are not working alone – contact authorities if needed.
   • Part 3: Vulnerability increasing factors
     Assess the person’s experiences, internal factors and social networks. If you do not know, choose “I don’t know”.
4. You may complete only the section(s) you choose, but note that you will then not get a full overview at the end of the questionnaire. The unfilled sections will appear as “insufficient information”.
5. If you wish to refer to the results later, save them by selecting the “print as PDF” option. Otherwise, your answers and the results will disappear when you leave the page.
6. Use the VALIANT assessment results as a basis for client discussions and as support for planning interventions and service referrals.

Remember:

• VALIANT does not collect identifiable personal data.
• VALIANT complies with a high level of data security: the tool does not store IP addresses, and any information you enter is deleted when you leave the page. The tool also does not use or send cookies.
• Your task is to use the tool professionally and ethically, and to act in accordance with your organisation’s guidelines

How to use the VALIANT tool (in Finnish, Youtube)

Make use of multi-professional support when needed 

• If VALIANT raises concerns about violent radicalisation or a safety risk, you must proceed according to your organisation’s instructions, taking into account your duties and rights (e.g. reporting threats, filing a child welfare notification)
• You can print the results of the VALIANT questionnaire and use them to assess the need for broader support (e.g. social emergency services, student welfare, preventive police work). LINK to documentation guidelines?

Deepen your expertise

Learn more about preventing violent radicalisation by taking THL’s online course, which covers:

• pathways to radicalisation,
• risk and protective factors,
• methods for addressing concerns and conducting assessments,
• supporting the young person and their family.

Online course: Preventing violent radicalisation