Ground-Breaking Toolkit Addresses Human Trafficking

Covenant House Vancouver engaged in a 32-month project that developed and implemented intervention practices to advance knowledge and enhance empowerment supports for youth age 16 to 24, who are at risk of, or are survivors of, exploitation and human trafficking, in Vancouver.

The toolkit’s aim is to increase CHV’s capacity to identify, understand, and support youth impacted by human trafficking and/or exploitation. The project and the development of the toolkit included a literature review and consultation with survivors, anti-human trafficking organizations, and organizations that serve youth across North America.  

The project was funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada.

Human trafficking (sex, labour, and organ trafficking) involves recruiting, transporting, harbouring, or receiving a person, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion, for the purpose of exploitation. In the case of minors, any commercial sex act is trafficking, regardless of whether force, fraud, or coercion is involved. Exploitation can occur without trafficking.

We, at CHV, are very proud of this toolkit. The project was spearheaded by CHV’s Anti-Human Trafficking Coordinator and their Project Consultant, Anti-Human Trafficking, who was contracted for their expertise. The development of the toolkit involved many CHV staff from across several departments, along with organizations, leaders, and survivors, who participated in a year-long consultation period.

Pivoting Practice: Building Capacity to Serve Youth Impacted by Trafficking was developed as an anti-human trafficking toolkit to support CHV staff and partner organizations in serving youth at risk of, currently experiencing, or those who have survived human trafficking and/or exploitation.   

The toolkit is intended to be used in learning about human trafficking and evidence-based best practices for supporting youth within the current Canadian landscape. The intended audience is service providers in youth-serving organizations, including CHV and partners.   

Over the next few months, we will be highlighting sections of the toolkit to help illustrate how this toolkit can be used to support youth who are at risk of, or are survivors of, exploitation and human trafficking.