A consortium of researchers dedicated to improving the understanding of the human causes and consequences of terrorism

CARVE online training course enrolls more than 700 in first four months

More than 750 people have enrolled in START’s newest online training course, Community-led Action in Response to Violent Extremism (CARVE), since its launch in March. Made available at no cost to learners, thanks to funding from the Department of Homeland Security, the self-paced course provides law enforcement offices, school officials and community leaders access to cutting edge research and resources.

“We are very pleased with the number of enrollees the course has brought in so far,” said START Training Manager Liberty Day. “We hope that CARVE will continue to serve as a vital resource for professionals interested in understanding radicalization to violence and community-based efforts that can be used to address violent extremism.”

In addition to having a large initial enrollment, CARVE has been very well received so far. Of participants who have completed the course, more than 90 percent either strongly agreed or agreed that they would recommend it to their peers. Likewise, 93 percent of respondents indicated that the course increased their knowledge, skills and abilities relevant to the course topic.

Developed by START, through funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Training and Education Division, CARVE is designed to increase public awareness of the mechanisms by which individuals and groups radicalize to violence, and promote community engagement in prevention efforts. It provides community-focused, rigorously researched, and academically-informed instruction on Countering Violent Extremism (CVE).

This online, self-paced FEMA-certified and approved course is designed to accommodate working professionals. Learners have unlimited access to CARVE’s course space for 60 days upon enrollment and are able to complete the four-hour course at their convenience. CARVE includes a pre- and post-test, video lectures, infographics, ungraded knowledge checks, supplemental readings and links to additional resources.

CARVE is made available through the University of Maryland's Canvas Catalog, an online learning management system, and is open to all U.S. citizens and Legal Residents representing state, local, tribal and territorial entities. The course can be accessed through START’s website at https://www.start.umd.edu/training/community-led-action-response-violent-extremism.