Victoria’s Strategy for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism 2025–2028 outlines Victoria’s holistic, long-term approach to preventing and countering violent extremism through aligning community and academic partnerships, intervention programs, and evidence-based policy.
Below are examples of some of the work that Victorian Government departments and agencies do to prevent and counter violent extremism.
Strategies, policies, and community-based programs that help make communities stronger against violent extremism.
Examples: community-led programs, groups and research projects to fight specific types of hatred.
Early help for people who are showing signs that they might be getting involved in or becoming radicalising to violent extremism.
Examples: Individual case management programs managed by both the government and by communities.
Intervention programs to help people who have become radicalised to violent extremism
Examples: individual case management programs managed by the government and delivered to individuals both in the community and serving a custodial sentence.
Countering Violent Extremism Unit
The Countering Violent Extremism Unit in the Department of Justice and Community Safety leads, coordinates, and reports on whole of Victorian Government efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism in Victoria. It also runs early intervention schemes which support people who are at risk of turning to violent extremism.
The Unit’s work includes:
- providing early help to people at risk of radicalising to violent extremism. This includes connecting people with services and support for their broader needs (such as social, health, housing, and employment) to allow them to reconnect with the community
- promoting modern approaches to countering violent extremism that are based on evidence, by working with academics, community, and government agencies across Australia
- protecting Victorian crowded places from the risks of terrorism and extreme violence by improving policies and building public awareness. For more information, visit Protecting crowded places from terrorism and extreme violence.
By working with community groups, the Unit is working to prevent violent extremism through early interventions that enhance social connection, reduce isolation, and build positive relationships.
Just as important are partnerships with academic and industry experts. These partnerships help the Unit to develop evidence-based policies to ensure that they are relevant to the Victorian community.
Commonwealth Government
The Commonwealth supports the Victorian Government’s programs by providing funding through the National Support and Intervention Program. In Victoria, this funding helps run important intervention and disengagement programs that are delivered by the Department of Justice and Community Safety, Victoria Police, and Corrections Victoria.
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