Training in human trafficking competence

[Autry Haynes]

1.     Activity: Training of trainers in Trafficking in Persons Competence.

 

2.     Purpose: 

Establishment of TIP Competent committees in Amerindian villages in the Madhia sub-district. 

 

3.     Procedure: 

The approach sought to build competence and ensuring sustainability at the village level of Amerindian people using the concept of Local Response to empower the village leaders to become competent in combating threats to TIP.  

This approach seeks to empower the community members to take ownership in terms of developing concrete plans to care for the affected, support and design plans to reduce risk / vulnerability. This process helps the community to think about a challenge in a structured way so that they can decide on the actions that they need to take to address a challenge, in this case TIP.

 

Dream building, self assessment and action planning were done over two days with key members of three Amerindian communities.

 

4.     Achievement: 

4.1   Training awareness on Trafficking in Persons

This training awareness was done using the standard training material developed for this purpose. This was done with the aid of power point as well as handouts of the material.

Following the formal session, participants did a pre-training evaluation and were asked to indicate one thing, other than money that was important to their families and community.

 4.2   Creating community (each village leaders) Vision / dream building

The participants were divided into two groups after a clear explanation of what the dream entails and what was expected from them. Participants were encouraged to do individual dreams of what they would like their community be like when it was competent in managing threats of TIP. These individual dreams were discussed in groups to ascertain similarity / differences and then they were asked to represent their dreams into one dream in drawing.

 

4.3    Self Assessment

Discussion on the ten practices was done to help participants have an understanding of each. This was preceded by an illustration using a local example that participants could relate to [cassava planting]. In a brainstorming session participants then discuss each practice and identify three priority practices. These were 2 – Inclusion; 7 - Learning and transfer; 9 - Ways of working.

 

4.4  Action Plans

Having complete the self assessment and identify each level of the priority practices participants determine which level they would like to attain to, over three months.

 

 

Participants by consensus agree that

they were at levels 2 for practices 2 and

 7 and level one for practice number 9.

The level they will like to attain to in

 there months was level 3 for all three

priority practices.

 

In terms of the action plan, participants were encouraged to apply the SMART principle in identifying the specific actions needed to achieve movement from the current level to level 3.

Following the groups’ discussion and preparation of the action plans it was agreed that two critical next steps were necessary. These are [1] that the action plans be presented to the respective village council to make them a village responsibility, and [2] the approach used for the training introduced to the wider community in each village. The villages Toshaos agree that they will bear the cost for the facilitators return within two months.

 

 

5.     Evaluation:

5.1   Pre-evaluation

Have you ever heard of Trafficking in Persons?	Yes: 8;                  No: 1
What do you think Trafficking in Persons means?   On day 2, after the training in TIP (day 1) the answers to the no. 2 question was discussed in detail to help with a common understanding of what TIP means and which answers were acceptable.	-          One employs a worker and controls them; -          Utilization of a person against their will or have them involve in sex acts or under paid jobs; -          Person who uses her/his body for sex / money -          Employing some one to work for a promised wage and job but in turn turn-out to be less money and more work; -          Bringing a person to a place and exploit them; -          Using a person for making money illegally -          Using a person for work or over working a person
Do you think that the concept of Trafficking in Persons is important?	Yes: 9;                    No: 0
Expectations of the training	-          Gain / learn more about TIP; -          More information on TIP -          What can be done to control this problem; -          How can we [leaders use power to ease] the people HELP to control this problem; -          That things will be better; -          Better knowledge on how to deal with the issues of TIP; -          What can be done to prevent this problem; -          Learn about the persons who employ girls and boys to be involved in TIP; -          To be clear on trafficking issues, how it affects victims, families and communities in both short and long term; -          Be more educated and enlightened about TIP.

 

5.2   Post evaluation

	1	2	3	4	5
Objectives of workshop were met?			1	4	4
The workshop was useful?				4	5
I am better prepared to recognize and explain the Trafficking in Persons.			5	2	2
I am better able to engage others (boys, girls, men and women) in activities   which would help them to cope with Trafficking in Persons			5	2	2
Please identify 3 elements of TIP. -          Force, coercion, fraud -          Harboring, transporting, and recruitment -           Recruitment, threat, force labor; -
Which part(s) of the workshop was/were most useful / interesting? -          Group work; -          Discussion that help understanding of TIP -          All parts -          Self assessment, priority practices -
What else do you think you’ll need to provide balanced support/ intervention to people in your community? -          Working materials, such Dvd; -          Reading materials, posters, pamphlets, brochures -          Cooperation from other community members -          Involving more people  in similar training sessions -          More practical work -          More information on TIP to help detect TIP at early stage; -
What improvements/changes would you suggest for another workshop of this kind? -          More working materials -          DVD, -          More time needed for interaction and understanding more on TIP -          Longer [3-4 days] training -          Create ways to improve awareness -          Case studies and videos on TIP; -
Please share with us, at least one way, in which you will use the information and/or skills provided/obtained. -          In groups such as church, and general meeting; -          Empower others; -          With group leaders -          Taking action in my community -          Visiting homes and sharing information -          Make family and friends more aware about TIP; -
Please list at least two helpful ideas which you are taking away from the workshop and share any other comments/suggestions you consider helpful. -          Everything; -          Notes of TIP -          Educate youths on TIP -          Encourage parents to be more involved in lives of their children; -          Invite Facilitators to do similar training with wider cross section of people; -          I am more aware of TIP that it is real and dangerous to community and country; -

[Autry Haynes]

The self assessment for gender based violence was used. The members of two communities agreeing to fund a re-visit indicates local ownership and taking responsibility. TIP is an emerging concern in Guyana and several institutions / organizations are responding positively to mitigate threats. This activity is funded by the Catholic Relief Services - Guyana with support from the mother organization in the USA. As noted the people are aware of threats of TIP but not enough to react or act. For most of the practices they have identified themselves being at level1. The agreement for the return visit is a specific action to move from level 2 of inclusion so that more villagers are involved and participate in the process.

[Gaston]

An amazing application Autry. It is inspiring how you use the approach for various applications. A few questions: 

1. Did you use the 'generic' self-assessment or did you develop a new framework for this issue? 

2. Great that the Toshao's are paying the 2nd trip. What an indicator of ownership that is. 

3. Who proposed the TIP topic in the first place? 

4. I understand you first had the training on what the issue really means before going into dreambuilding? I like this idea to ensure that all members have a similar understanding on what we are talking about.