HTF Advisory Forum Newsletter 22nd November

Posted on 22 November 2023

This newsletter is an opportunity for Human Trafficking Foundation (HTF) Forum members to publicise events, projects, research, campaigns and job opportunities. You can see recordings or download minutes of our previous online events here.  This fortnightly newsletter goes out to over 1,500 individuals working in anti-trafficking. To share information for the newsletter, please contact [email protected]     Announcements Survey on the Impacts of the Modern Slavery Provisions in the Nationality and Borders Act The Human Trafficking Foundation is collaborating with the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL) and the Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group (ATMG) to investigate the impacts of the Nationality and Borders Act on the identification and wellbeing of people with lived experience of modern slavery. As part of the project, the team is inviting staff of anti-trafficking NGOs, First Responders, healthcare workers, and legal practitioners to take part in this survey, which should take no longer than 20 minutes to complete. The survey can be completely anonymously. Sisters Anti-Trafficking Awards The first Sisters Anti-Trafficking Awards event was held on 31st October 2023, drawing attention to the contribution of Catholic sisters to the anti-trafficking movement, with awards unveiled by The Rt Hon Theresa May MP and Sir Mo Farah. The winners were announced as Sr Seli Thomas SMI from India, Sr Patricia Ebegbulem SSL from Nigeria and Sr Francoise Jiranonda SPC from Thailand. Theresa May delivered a keynote address at the event, which celebrated the anti-trafficking work of frontline Catholic sisters, engaged in both early-intervention prevention work and survivor rehabilitation. More can be read at the event webpage. Wilberforce Institute Call for Papers: Responses to Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking The Wilberforce Institute is looking for contributions for posters and papers at a conference to be hosted on Tuesday 26th March 2024. The conference will explore current responses to issues of trafficking, modern slavery and exploitation. They encourage submissions from academics, postgraduate students, individuals with lived experience and practitioners. Find more information and how to submit here. Criminal Cases Review Commission Applications The CCRC has seen a recent increase in applications from potential victims of trafficking and slavery who were wrongly convicted of crimes committed due to exploitation. The CCRC reviews cases involving issues such as county lines, false document offences, shoplifting, cannabis cultivation and fraud. Over the past five years, they have reviewed 25 such convictions; 37 remain under review. They have referred 11 convictions to the appellate courts, and in each of those the court ultimately quashed the relevant convictions. Self-referral is possible and legal representation is not necessary to apply. Read more information and apply here. Bakhita Centre: Call for Survey Respondents  The Bakhita Centre for Research of Slavery, Exploitation and Abuse at St Mary’s University are seeking the support from legal practitioners with completing a short survey. The Centre is conducting a research project on behalf of the Religious in Europe Networking Against Trafficking and Exploitation (RENATE). They are seeking information about the training legal practitioners who work with survivors have received around modern slavery and human trafficking to aid your practice. They also want to identify challenges to providing legal assistance to victims of human trafficking. The survey takes around 15 minutes to complete and can be found here until 30th November.     Reports and Publications Work Rights Centre Report: Systemic Drivers of Migrant Worker Exploitation in the UK The Work Rights Centre have published a new report titled Systemic Drivers of Migrant Worker Exploitation in the UK. The report identifies how the UK’s work-sponsorship system and labour market enforcement “are combining to produce a complex web of problems for migrant workers”. They looked at published Home Office statistics, annual reports of the UK’s labour market agencies, conducted Freedom of Information requests, interviewed caseworkers and analysed detailed case notes of 40 migrant workers who had experienced employment or exploitation issues. Read the full report here.     Events & Training Human Trafficking Foundation Online Forum: Modern Slavery and Exploitation in the Care Sector HTF is hosting an online forum to bring together a range of speakers to explore the recent increase in reported cases of modern slavery and exploitation in the care sector. Topics will include an overview of workers’ rights on the Health and Care visa, issues of debt bondage and repayment clauses, recruitment methods used by exploitative agencies, issues of both underworking and overworking, and recommendations to regulate the sector. Thursday 7th December, 2pm-3.30pm, online. Register for your place here.     Vacancies Unseen Vacancy Unseen provides safehouses and support for survivors of modern slavery, and runs the Modern Slavery and Exploitation Helpline. They are currently hiring a full-time Caseworker based onsite in Bristol, to deliver services to a caseload of survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking who are being supported through Unseen’s safehouses and outreach service. There is a rolling deadline. More information and apply here. Snowdrop Vacancies The Snowdrop Project provides long-term, community-based support to survivors of modern slavery and exploitation, providing specialist advocacy, counselling and community programmes. They are recruiting for two roles based in Sheffield, a part-time Head of Finance and Resource, responsible for the charity’s strategic financial and resource management and development, and a full-time Fundraising Officer, to drive support for the charity and grow areas of income and support. Apply for both here. Medaille Trust Vacancies The Medaille Trust provides frontline support to survivors of modern slavery through safe housing, community awareness projects and partnerships with local authorities and law enforcement. They are looking for a part-time Modern Slavery Caseworker based in Halton, to provide practical and emotional support to potential survivors, and a part-time Cleaner based in Manchester. Apply for both here. Modern Slavery Policy and Evidence Centre Recruitment MSPEC are recruiting eight people with lived experience of modern slavery to take part in a new project about the most effective ways of communication around modern slavery to increase its understanding in the UK, led by the Public Interest Research Centre. As part of the research, they are organising two workshops to discuss how modern slavery is being talked about in the public debate in the UK and how survivors wish to describe experiences of modern slavery. Participants will have to be able to attend two workshops: on 1st December 2023 and 8th March 2024. The deadline for applications is 22nd November. Apply here.     HTF Resources   Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) Consultancy The Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) was established to ensure the expertise of those with lived-experience is embedded in the work of the anti-trafficking sector and is made up of independent consultants who co-work with HTF. LEAP can offer the development and delivery of training (online, pre-recorded and in person), work with organisations to create or redesign training packages, provide expert advice on policy documents, research and guidance on supporting survivors of trafficking, join round tables on specific areas of modern slavery, sit on interview panels, undertake group focus groups and partake in 1 on 1 interviews. Find out more here and submit a request for LEAP consultancy.  HTF’s Survivor Hub  Survivor advocates and HTF have created an online Survivor Hub, a place for survivors to find opportunities for work and paid research participation, to find resources on education, housing support, the NRM, mental health support and includes directories of support providers and legal advisors across the country. Please share this widely in your networks. If your organisation has resources or opportunities that you would like included please email [email protected]. HTF’s Emergency Support Fund The Human Trafficking Foundation’s Trafficking Emergency Support Fund is available to help victims of human trafficking and modern slavery with small one-off grants to meet their immediate needs when no other sources of funding are available. If you are a support worker, you can see guidelines and complete an application form here on behalf of your client and email it to [email protected]. Updated London Modern Slavery SPOC Directory  The Human Trafficking Foundation has been working with local authorities in the Greater London area to support the development of their response to modern slavery and human trafficking. As part of this, we produce an annual directory of Modern Slavery Single Points of Contact/Champions in statutory authorities across London including representatives within the NHS, police and local authorities. Please contact [email protected] to request access to the directory or for any amendments. London Directory of Services  HTF has created a Directory of Services, bringing together details of support agencies for survivors of modern slavery across London. The Directory is a live document, with more organisations added all the time. Access it now on our website under resources. If there is an organisation you think should be included, or to amend any information please email [email protected]. Mapping Survivor Support Services Our map of UK survivor support services aims to be a useful tool for people working with survivors to see what services are available in their area. View the map here. If your organisation provides support of any kind to survivors of trafficking and would like to be added to the map, please email [email protected].