Assia Hussain holds up photographs of six people.

“Spot the terrorist”, she asks. The images show a number of individuals, all of whom have made the news for various reasons.

There’s activist Assata Shakur - on the FBI’s most wanted terrorists list - the German left-wing militant Ulrika Meinhof, Norwegian far-right killer Anders Breivik and radical monk Ashin Wirathu the spiritual leader of the anti-Muslim movement in Myanmar.

Their pictures sit alongside Adil Ray, commonly known as Citizen Khan, and Great British Bake-off winner Nadiya Hussain.

People look, and consider the pictures, with many gesturing towards the British TV stars.

“They automatically home in on the stereotypical images,” says Assia. “The exercise shows that there is no ‘typical’ profile.”

“What comes up when the word ‘terrorist’ is typed into Google?, she then asks, indicating the mostly bearded Asian men, or men wearing headscarves and balaclavas.

The question forms part of a training package developed by Assia as part of the Government’s Prevent strategy, to safeguard people and communities from the threat of terrorism.

Operating across the UK, Prevent is one of the four elements of CONTEST, the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy. It aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

As curriculum diversity and Prevent lead at Bradford College, Assia has successfully drawn up and adapted a training package which she delivers to staff and students, as well as other groups across the country, highlighting the dangers we face and how we can work to lessen the risk.

The former Batley Grammar School and University of Oxford graduate who formerly taught English to foreign language students, became involved with Prevent in the early stages of its development. She attended an event in Bradford run by the Home Office, and found the prescribed training package lacking. “I incorporated my own ideas as to how to proceed.”

Having put her own stamp on the package, she delivered her training to a group of young mothers from various cultural backgrounds. Women, Assia believes, are key to a successful Prevent strategy, yet are often overlooked.

“Prevent appeared to be aimed at men, and men are the typical audience at Prevent conferences and events, yet women are often the ones who are in a position to notice changes in behaviour or mood swings among their children," she says. "These could be signs that grooming, drugs or radicalisation could be taking place.”

Assia stresses how easily divisions can appear in society, from within families, to neighbours and the wider community.

“I use role play, to explain how once harmonious relationships can disintegrate when there are changes in circumstance,” she says. “We go through a series of activities which sees discord develop between individuals.

“When we think of terrorism, we think of religion, but often inequality is at its heart.”

Crucially, she examines ways to challenge stereotypes. The mother-of-two has been on the receiving end of others making assumptions about her. “I was on a train and a man told me he was uncomfortable about the large bag I was carrying, and asked whether it had a bomb in it.”

Using her friendly, diplomatic manner and humour, Assia, successfully diffused the situation, offering her bag for him to look through, even asking if she should remove her head scarf, which she wears for fashion, rather than her Muslim faith.

She made a decision not to report the incident, believing that the encounter led to the man thinking seriously about his preconceptions.

“I don’t get offended, I reflect upon what people say and consider why they have said it. I have seen people change the way they look at things. After we spoke, the man on the train saw me in a different light.”

Central to the training are “united” values, one for each letter of the word, including nurturing mutual respect, tolerance of other faiths and beliefs, equality and democracy.

Assia, has so far delivered her training to more than 800 staff at Bradford College, as well as audiences in Spain and the Netherlands. She has interest from the USA, Australia and Canada.

As part of the training Assia also examines how Muslims are portrayed in the media.

“One study found that 74 per cent of the British public claim they know next to nothing about Islam,” she says. “And 64 per cent of what they do know has been acquired through the media.”

She encourages people to talk about their feelings. “People tend not to talk about these things, often for fear of offending others. I want them to speak about how they feel.”

Assia’s commitment to her role is palpable. “I am so passionate about this. When I go to bed at night I think I have done some good. Even if I make a difference to one person, it is worth it.”