Unique project improves the working life skills of victims of human trafficking

The purpose of the project is to improve the working life skills of victims of human trafficking, develop the employment services offered for the victims, increase knowledge of the position of victims of human trafficking in working life, and increase the involvement of the private sector in work against human trafficking.

- Employment and finding work constitute an important part of the recovery of the victims of human trafficking. Victims need help to understand their own rights and to break free from their difficult situation, explains Veikko Mäkelä, who is the Project Manager.

The IKUT Project will:

• Complete a study on the labour market situation of the victims of human trafficking and their reception of employment services.
• Create a working life model for victims of human trafficking. The goal of the model is to strengthen the working life skills and competence of the victims and support them in their transition to working life.
• Organise training sessions for companies and two seminars on human trafficking and corporate social responsibility.

Strengthening working life skills and competence is a new way to help victims of human trafficking

- There is very little information available on victims of human trafficking in the work life or as receivers of employment services. The IKUT project seeks to establish how the victims of human trafficking could be helped in a more comprehensive manner. This is largely a pilot project: nothing like this has been implemented in Finland before, Mäkelä states.

The report will be used in the drafting of the working life model. The working life model will offer targeted help to individuals who have fallen victim to human trafficking, in identifying competence, information on employee rights in Finland, support for the transition to working life, and both psychological and social support. Identifying your skills is used to prevent the participants from repeatedly becoming victims of human trafficking.

The training in the working life model will executed in cooperation with the Monika Multicultural Women’s Association and Victim Support Finland.

Involving companies in work against human trafficking

For now, very little attention has been paid to the private sector in the work against human trafficking in Finland. The project seeks to increase the companies’ awareness of human trafficking and encourages companies to play a more active role in the work against human trafficking in Finland. Companies can include the work against human trafficking in their corporate social responsibility programs by, for example, participating in strengthening the working life skills of victims of human trafficking and helping them to find employment.

- Companies are in a crucial role in the prevention of human trafficking. Their support for work against human trafficking both helps the victims and reduces the distortion of competition created by human trafficking on the markets, Mäkelä asserts.

IKUT project is supported by the European Social Fund (ESF). Funding for the project is granted by the Häme Centre for Economic Development, Transport and Environment.