The aim of the activities carried out within the framework of the project over 15 months was to use innovative services to expand the support system for the victims of human trafficking, raise awareness of social workers and employees of the organizations of the national NGO coalition, as well as to create interactive preventive measures for education of children and young people. The target group of the project are the victims of human trafficking, young people – as one of the major risk groups, people with disabilities, relatives, friends and acquaintances of the victims and potential victims, NGOs representing the rights and interests of the aforementioned groups, the members, staff and volunteers.
To provide the victims of human trafficking with support, a support group was ensured within the framework of the project, providing various forms of assistance, including psychosocial support to the victims of human trafficking who have suffered from sexual violence a long time ago. In total, 20 meetings of the support group took place.
A two-day training seminar was organised in Riga to develop the professional skills of the employees, members and volunteers of the organisations of the NGO coalition platform for prevention of human trafficking established on 17 December 2013, as well as to inform about the current events related to human trafficking in Latvia, Europe and elsewhere. Two exchange visits were organised for 12 member organisations of the platform, visiting the project cooperation partners “Living for Tomorrow” in Estonia and “La Strada Foundation against Trafficking in Persons and Slavery” in Poland.
Within the framework of the project, the experts of the society and volunteer coordinators trained the volunteers of the society, the organisations of the NGO coalition platform and other youth organisations to prepare them as peer educators. To popularise volunteering and raise awareness on human trafficking, the peer educators organised five daylong simulation games for the young people of risk groups in Riga and the regions. In Olaine, Tukums, Salaspils, Dobele and Valmiera, 98 young people took part in the simulation game and acquired new knowledge.
To inform and educate the public, including young people, the informative trailer of the society visited 39 schools, children and youth centres in Riga and regions of Latvia, informing almost 2000 students about human trafficking.
In order to facilitate the development of professional social work, five regional seminars were organized in Dobele, Talsi, Madona, Cesis and Preili municipalities within the framework of the project and a practical methodological material for social workers on the work with the victims of human trafficking was developed. In total, 141 specialists of the particular field were trained in the seminars.
The social rehabilitation service of the society “Shelter “Safe House”” was improved and an ISO 9001 quality management system was developed within the framework of “Multidisciplinary Initiatives for Prevention of Human Trafficking”.
This activity is carried out in the framework of the project „Multidisciplinary initiatives for prevention of human trafficking” financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Implementation of the project will be commenced on 01.09.2014, and it will be completed on 30 November of this year. You can find more information on the EEA Grants programme “NVO fonds” here on the Latvian website of the EEA Grants: http://www.eeagrants.lv. official website of the EEA Grants: http://www.eeagrants.org. Society “Shelter “Safe House”” is responsible for the content of this publication.
