Never Again Association

Never Again Association (NA) is an NGO that works in awareness raising, research, monitoring of racist and hate crime incidents and, on some recent occasions, carried out educational and awareness raising projects involving participation of inmates and rightwing football supporters. These young people are inclined to engage in violence, in racist, aggressively nationalist, and xenophobic behaviour, are prone to manipulation and their behaviour escalates easily.

NA works nation-wide and in the region of Eastern and Central Europe in delivering educational programs for local teachers, police, state prosecutors, community workers and students on how to deal with racism and hate crime and how to prevent them. NA practitioners come from various professional backgrounds as political and social studies, social work, legal, educational and work together on a local scale.

A particularly promising aspect of the NA approach is combining work on many different levels - international networking alongside domestic and local projects, integration of football work and general societal work, collaborating simultaneously with other NGOs, risk groups, policy makers and practitioners, as well as with local and national authorities. Such approach combined with NA's broad network of volunteers across the whole country and the region enables the Association to diagnose and respond quickly to any issues raising within the scope of its work.

At present, NA is approaching the field of prison work and has already become a reference for those involved in deradicalisation work. The Association provides help with regards to carrying out first-line work, as well as advises on how to approach and deal with extremists and hate crime offenders. The Association also broadly promotes implementation of best practices regarding both combating racism and hate crime, as well as promoting a positive, inclusive public discourse on multiculturalism and diversity.

NA's successful work over the years contributed to organisation's strong position and nation-wide recognition within various groups-. On several occasions NA has been approached by former neo-Nazi extremists who wished to change their lives and leave their subculture's structures. The Association provided support and guided them through the process of rehabilitation. Such experiences formed the basis of case studies presented in Never Again magazine, which undoubtedly serve as both an educational resource and an inspiration.

Contact details:

Rafal Pankowski
Email: rafal@nigdywiecej.org

Jacek Purski
Email: jacek@nigdywiecej.org