Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region

Published purpose

This 36-month project with the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region will develop and implement promising practices that will be focused on an Anti-Human Trafficking Program (AHTP) that ensures the provision of wrap-around gender-responsive services to survivors. This will advance knowledge and enhance empowerment supports for at-risk populations and survivors of human trafficking (ages 12 and up), particularly for Indigenous youth both on- and off-reserve, those living in rural areas of Waterloo Region, and newcomer and migrant populations. This will be achieved by expanding the Anti-Human Trafficking Program's (AHTP) capacity; expanding and enhancing the “Recognizing Exploitation, A Syllabus to End Trafficking” (R.E.S.E.T.) curriculum for dissemination across Ontario and Canada; developing an Indigenous-focused version of the curriculum; providing transitional and housing stabilization support; developing and providing education in the form of trainings, workshops and safety tools; strengthening community partnerships to increase workshop delivery; and offering youth leadership and mentorship development. At the end of the project, the organization will have decreased the occurrence of human trafficking with at-risk youth and the re-victimization of survivors; reduced homelessness; increased independence and reintegration into communities for survivors through empowerment and the development of life skills. The project will include an external evaluation that will look at the success and scalability of the promising practices.