A total of four training courses are offered in the form of a pilot project. The first course started at the end of August and was attended by four or six participants. The courses are organized within the framework of the IKUT project coordinated by the National Assistance System for Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings in order to improve the working life skills and competences of victims of trafficking in human beings. The assistance system for victims of human trafficking is part of the Finnish Immigration Service.
Personal support for victims of trafficking
The training is carried out in ten-week courses. At the beginning of each course, participants undergo a comprehensive initial assessment, which is then given personal support and guidance based on the assessment.
“Personal guidance plays a very important role in the working life training we provide. During the first assessment period, we have gained a stronger understanding of the job opportunities and needs of victims of trafficking.” with individual guidance, we can also support more effectively those participants who cannot participate in group activities due to their current life situation, “says the project manager Veikko Mäkelä.
The training includes 12–15 hours of group activities per week, including training in everyday life management skills, IT skills and the Finnish language, as well as lectures that prepare participants for working life. Participants will discuss, among other things, workers’ rights and job search tools, and will receive support to build the network.
The aim is to improve the employment services of victims of human trafficking
In addition to supporting victims of trafficking, the aim of working life training is to gather information on the needs of victims of exploitation, such as trafficking, in relation to working life. This information can be useful in developing victim services.
“Training courses help us better understand what kind of support victims of trafficking need and want to develop their working life skills and find a job in the long run. Ideally, the information could be used to develop employment services so they can help bring victims of trafficking more effectively out of society,” Mäkelä says.
The training is organized in cooperation with Victim Support Finland and MONIKA – Multicultural Women’s Association. The employment and social services of the cities of Vantaa, Espoo and Helsinki have also participated in the training.
The IKUT project is supported by the European Social Fund (ESF). The project is funded by the Häme Business, Transport and Environment Center.
Source: Finnish Immigration Service
Source: The Nordic Page