REST Economic and Leadership Empowerment Academy

The goal of the FY 2019 Direct Services to Support Victims of Human Trafficking Program is to enhance the quality and quantity of services available to victims of human trafficking, as defined by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000, as amended. Funding through this program supports specialized services to victims of sex and labor trafficking, as well as for efforts to increase the capacity of communities to respond to human trafficking through the development of interagency partnerships, professional training, and public awareness activities over a three-year project period.

This award made to Real Escape from the Sex Trade is funded under Purpose Area 2 to launch the Economic and Leadership Empowerment Academy. This project seeks to fill a portion of the service gap for trafficking victims in King County by providing 1) a quarterly 6-week job readiness program designed specifically for survivors of sex trafficking; 2) quarterly 6-week paid internships with ongoing job readiness training to increase survivors’ skill building and self-efficacy; 3) employment placement services through a dedicated employment specialist working as part of the Safe Jobs Collaborative; and 4) monthly leadership development workshops. CA/NCF