From 9-12 Amanda Taggart will provide some foundational knowledge about human trafficking.  The final hour will be a working lunch with a panel of curriculum providers discussing options and answering questions specific to student lessons for grades 5, 9, and 11.  Participants will need to bring their smartphone or other device to engage in the online surveys that are a part of the presentation.  This pre-survey needs to be completed before you attend: tinyurl.com/pre-HT101

Panel Participants:

Heidi Messner, Prevention Project Ambassador -E.P.I. (Empower. Protect. Invest.) is a human trafficking prevention collaborative based in Humboldt County. E.P.I. provides prevention education for preschool through high school on personal body ownership, safety, human trafficking, empowerment and peer protection using developmentally appropriate curriculum from thinkSMALL (K-5th grade) and the Prevention Project (6th – 12th grade). Educators, survivors, traffickers, lawmakers, attorneys, parents, students and executives have contributed to this contextualized curriculum that has proven effective for over a decade in the U.S. and nearly a dozen other countries. Training for the community and parents is also available. The program is not for profit and education is provided for by generous donors making it free for the schools of Humboldt County.

Paula Arrowsmith Jones, Community Outreach Coordinator for North Coast Rape Crisis Team  – North Coast Rape Crisis Team Violence Prevention Programs for youth span preK through high school, as well as adult workshops for parents, staff and faculty.  As part of a multiple day high school program, one day is focused on human trafficking which includes statistical information, information about strategies used by traffickers, warning signs, setting boundaries and other risk reduction strategies for those potentially targeted, as well as, bystander strategies for peers and others who may be concerned.  This segment can be adjusted for age appropriateness and provided in grades 5-8.  All programs focus on personal safety are interactive and use a variety of teaching methods including multimedia with discussion, small group work and interactive discussion.  Additionally, all prevention programs are provided by staff who have completed certified training as sexual assault counselors who are able to link survivors or those at risk to appropriate local intervention services.

Amanda Taggart, PROTECT Regional Director –PROTECT (PRevention Organized To Educate Children on Trafficking) is a human trafficking prevention program that was formed by three nonprofits in partnership with California Department of Education and California Attorney General’s Office which offers protocol development, training, trauma-informed lessons, as well as research, for schools and county agencies.  One of the founding nonprofits, 3Strands Global, was the sponsor of AB 1227 and the PROTECT program fulfills all mandates set forth by the new law.  By participating in the PROTECT Training on August 15^th and implementing one of the four lesson plans (5^th, 7^th, 9^th, 11^th) in their classrooms, teachers will be able to earn CEUs from CSU, Sacramento (up to 2.5).