Personal needs significantly shape an individual’s life, influencing the adoption of resilient or dysfunctional behaviors based on their circumstances, social environment, and available opportunities. Globally, extremist and violent extremist groups have proven their adeptness at recruiting by identifying and catering to the needs of vulnerable individuals. These needs often revolve around the desire for personal identity, a sense of belonging, financial stability, and meaningful friendships. By crafting tailored narratives, these groups successfully meet the needs of vulnerable populations through radicalizing and galvanizing ideologies.

To counter the allure of these harmful narratives, it is crucial for practitioners to offer appropriate solutions and alternatives to their vulnerable clients, distinct from those provided by extremist groups. This necessitates the adoption of trust-building and information-gathering approaches, enabling practitioners to effectively assess and understand their clients’ needs and strengths within their personal, social, and familial contexts. Such an approach prioritizes the individual’s immediate and essential requirements, departing from conventional notions of “risks” and predictive assessments. Ultimately, this practical manual developed by Hedayah fills a critical void by guiding social practitioners in establishing trust and accurately categorizing their clients’ critical needs and strengths. By adopting this approach, practitioners can design evidence-based preventive, rehabilitation, and reintegration interventions that align with the clients’ capacities and aspirations.

Hedayah’s groundbreaking manual empowers countering violent extremism practitioners to provide tangible support to vulnerable individuals, thus nullifying the influence of extremist and violent extremist narratives. By filling this crucial gap, Hedayah plays a pivotal role in assisting vulnerable populations, facilitating their journey towards a fulfilling and pro-social life.