In September, the first Helpline for reduction of human trafficking in Latvia started to operate. By calling the 24-hour line (+371) 28612120, everyone can receive information on the necessary actions in a particular situation and use it as one of the resources, if assistance is required in cases of human trafficking in Latvia or abroad. In order to ensure the basis for the development of a qualitative service for helpline operators, both the society`s workers and the society’s volunteers were trained within a one-day practical introduction seminar.
In the course of this seminar, the situations that are encountered in everyday work, when resolving different social cases, were analysed and an operators’ action model which would facilitate the communication between the consultant and the client was developed. Within the framework of the project, the informative booklets on the activity of the Helpline were developed, thus ensuring visual aids for a wider society across the whole territory of Latvia.
Due to the approved project, the society’s specialists and managing workers have an opportunity to visit monthly supervisions, i.e. to receive consultative support on the issues related to work and professional activity. The supervision of the inter-professional team (social workers, psychologists, psychotherapists, lawyers, prospective representatives of the said professions who work in the society as volunteers) is based on premature identification and assessment of crisis situations, reducing the burn-out risk of the specialists, as well as on the improvement of professionalism of own and common field specialists. Whereas, the importance of the supervision of the management personnel team is in the opportunity of agreeing on a common understanding of different issues, goals and the everyday productive action of the worker, as well as developing work efficiency in general.
In order for the society’s members, workers and volunteers to qualitatively participate in decision-making and policy development processes, as well as to develop a positive image of the society for the media and society in general, two seminars – “Possibilities of Participating in Decision-Making” and “Development of the Organization’s Public Image” – were organized.
In October, “Shelter “Safe House”” joined the “Latvian Platform for Development Cooperation*” (LAPAS). The society’s specialists point out that, by joining the cooperation network LAPAS, not only will the society gain experience in cooperating with other organisations and obtain new information, but also the society’s accumulated experience in the area of human trafficking will be expanded.
“Implementation of the project provides an opportunity of increasing the capacity of the organization’s human resources, which is one of the most important aspects in the long-term development of the organization. Whereas, the orientation to the achievement of the society’s main goals is facilitated by the project financial support for ensuring principal activity. While developing the project`s programme for 2014, the started activities will be continued in order to strengthen the role of society in reduction of human trafficking on both national and international levels,” says Sandra Zalcmane, head of the Society “Shelter “Safe House””.
* Society “Latvian Platform for Development Cooperation” (LAPAS) was founded on 17 June 2004 and unites organizations operating or planning to commence activity in the area of development cooperation and development education. LAPAS was founded with an aim to provide Latvia’s NGOs with a favourable environment and opportunities for development cooperation and development education on national and international levels.
The project is financed by Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway.
The programme NGO Fund ir financed by the EEA Financial Mechanism and Latvian government.
Find out more about the EEA Financial Mechanism programme NGO Fund here
Website of the Society Integration Foundation: http://www.sif.lv
Website of the EEA Financial Mechanism in Latvia: http://www.eeagrants.lv
Official website of the EEA Financial Mechanism: http://www.eeagrants.org
Responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the society “Shelter “Safe House””.
For more information:
Rasa Salina (Rasa Saliņa), Public Relations Consultant and Practitioner
rasa.salina@gmail.com