Evaluating a national Community of Practice for supporting Autistic individuals in countering violent extremism programs

Countering violent extremism (CVE) practitioners increasingly work with neurodivergent populations, including Autistic individuals. However, practitioners have limited access to autism-specific guidance and professional development relevant to CVE practice. This study evaluated a national, virtual Community of Practice (CoP) designed to build practitioners’ understanding of autism and capability to work effectively with Autistic individuals within CVE settings. The CoP used an adapted Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes model across five sessions, combining didactic teaching, case-based discussion, and peer learning. A convergent mixed-methods evaluation included pre-program surveys from 34 Australian CVE practitioners, post-program surveys from 30, and semi-structured interviews with seven participants. Participation was associated with significant improvements in autism knowledge and self-efficacy. Qualitative findings highlighted the value of practical frameworks, lived experience input, and peer learning in supporting more nuanced and neuro-affirming approaches to case formulation. These findings suggest that structured, case-based CoPs offer a feasible and potentially effective model for building workforce capability in complex, high-stakes environments such as CVE.