Today’s educators are in a unique position to reach youth who may be vulnerable to exploitation and human trafficking. They see youth every day in their schools, learn about their lives, and can be safe spaces for students who need help. Youth survivors of trafficking and exploitation have specialized needs and experiences, and the adults who work with them need to be trauma-informed and tuned-in to recognize when something is wrong in students’ lives and how to talk with them about it.
This webinar highlighted best practices and resources for K-12 educators on just that: how to talk with youth about human trafficking and exploitation. We had brief presentations featuring specifically designed resources including graphic novels for youth from the Office for Victims of Crime, and a guide for youth practitioners from the Blue Campaign. We also had a panel discussion with two educators working with youth in high schools in Chicago and rural Missouri as well as two youth speakers who are actively involved in using the arts in anti-trafficking outreach efforts. The webinar concluded with an audience Q&A.
Speakers
- Diego A. Luque, Campaign Specialist, Blue Campaign, Center for Countering Human Trafficking, Department of Homeland Security, Washington D.C.
- Adria Palmer, Counselor, Mark Twain High School, MO
- Lindsay Waldrop, Senior Advisor on Anti-Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance, Office for Victims of Crime, Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.
- Melinda Wilson, Dance Artistic Director, Curie Metropolitan High School, Chicago, IL
- Youth speakers
- Mikyla M., Graduating Senior, Curie Metropolitan High School, Chicago, IL
- Karina P., Graduating Senior, Curie Metropolitan High School, Chicago, IL
Webinar Materials
Related Resources
- Blue Campaign, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
- Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
In Case You Missed It:
- Guide: Human Trafficking in America’s Schools: How Schools Can Combat Trafficking in Partnership with People with Lived Experience
- Webinar: Building Protective Factors to Reduce Student Vulnerability to Human Trafficking
- Webinar: The Impact of Bias, Inequities, and Injustices in Supporting Students Impacted by Human Trafficking
- Webinar: Addressing Human Trafficking: Supporting Vulnerable Populations and Effectively Reintegrating Students
More Information
For more information and resources, visit the following webpages dedicated to human trafficking: ED’s Human Trafficking webpage; the U.S. Department of State’s Human Trafficking webpage; and the Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Trafficking Persons’ webpage.
To view previous webinars in this series, go here. To offer questions for consideration by the speakers on this webinar, email them to ncssle@air.org with “Webinar Question” in the subject line.