Access to Education

Keith explains the need for information about trafficking to be taught to children in schools

Education for children about the dangers of trafficking should start early in school to help prevent it, otherwise vulnerable children can end up involved with drugs, drink, dangers on the internet, getting into cars with strangers and no one is looking out for them.

Children and young people need to be helped to know who traffickers are, and how they operate, so they can recognise trafficking crime before they can be targeted and it is already too late. I never had these warnings in my education and I know that children don't today. Although there are general warnings in education about dangers for children and young people, there is no real depth of understanding of the realities of trafficking crime.

Peter explains how college life is helpful for survivors, and how colleges can improve their trafficking awareness

College is my safe space – it is a distraction for me, it is a better thing for me to spend my time doing rather than being in four walls and my mental health deteriorating. When a person has knowledge, they have confidence, then skills, then they are able to socialise and that makes a difference to their mental health because they are not alone.

Colleges know trafficking exists, but they don't really know in depth what causes it. It's dangerous for them not to have more knowledge and a trafficking-awareness policy, because they need to be aware of what students may be going through - they may be in a position to help that person and could prevent their disappearance, even save their life.

Young survivors who are studying at college need assurance that they are safe and that college is a safe place for them. They are not likely to talk to anyone about their personal background unless they are in a situation where they have to, however there should be a qualified person on site whom they can confide in at any time, who is trained in working with survivors of trafficking and responding to issues that arise for them. This could be a danger of trafficking for example or it could be that they cannot focus on an exam due to trauma or practical difficulties.

Brook describes changing the system for survivors on access to a college course

We need to be told about educational courses and training we are entitled to, it is the responsibility of professionals who work with us to find these things out for us and support us.

When I first asked a worker in the safehouse where I was living that I wanted to enroll in college, he simply told me, "It’s not possible, they will ask for documents you don’t have." He did not contact the college or do any checks to find out more. I then asked my support worker at Red Cross, who accompanied me to go to a local college, where they asked me for a National Insurance (NI) number. I have one from before I was trafficked and I gave it to them, however most survivors of modern slavery will not have an NI number. They then wanted me to provide a letter from my lawyer to say that I had a case pending with the Home Office, so I had to obtain that. Fortunately, I have a solicitor who was willing to get this for me, many survivors would not be able to get this.

When I told the college that I was a survivor of human trafficking they recommended the Freethinking course at the college which has different teachers: You can learn relaxation and therapeutic breathing techniques as well as some English and History. It is a course where you can meet other survivors and people who are moving back into education.

I was too nervous to go to the open day at the college on my own so I asked my support worker from Red Cross to go with me. The college course manager told us about the location of the course, the contents and its duration. I was asked where I was living and I told them that I was in the safehouse. The course manager asked if I knew other people there who wanted to come to the course, and I said "yes, but if you want them to enroll you need to remove some of your restrictions so they are able to come." He told me to bring them to the college and they would not now be asked for any of these things as long as they were living in the safehouse. The door was then opened for survivors at this college. The safehouse I was living in should have asked about this for residents, and found out that this was possible. I have introduced other survivors to this college and we have benefitted from the courses.

Juliet explains how survivor leadership can support survivors' access to further education.

Before I got into research, I felt lost and I didn’t know anyone, so I know how it feels doing stuff on your own and not knowing what to do or who to go to for advice.

I used my experience gained as peer researcher and advisory board member for MSCOS to create this leaflet which is specifically for survivors. The leaflet is not only to help survivors to get experience in research, but also to enable them to socialize with other people so they can start building their confidence.

Research may be something they want to do in the future, or it may not be, however this leaflet can lead them towards interesting projects and meeting survivors and non-survivors. As a peer researcher and member of the Research Advisory Board for the MSCOS I I have gained a lot of work experience and that can lead to other professional work. I have learned different skills and built my confidence, I get to meet other people, I know how to write a CV, and how to put my own personal feelings aside.

Writing the leaflet made me feel very motivated – it really inspired me to know I could help someone to get along with their life and access further education and professional life.