Readiness to work as prevention of re-trafficking: An evaluation of the Sophie Hayes Foundation employability programme.

 

 

Rights Lab project lead: Dr Nicola Wright
Funder: Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre
Duration: 1 February 2025 - 31 March 2026
Programme: Health and Wellbeing

The most widely used definition of re-trafficking is provided by the International Organization of Migration (2010) which refers to an individual who has left one exploitative situation and has later re-entered another.  Some personal, economic and societal factors have been identified that may make re-trafficking more likely to occur.  This includes: the inability to financially support oneself, lack of stable accommodation and disconnection from the local community.

Employment has several benefits for individuals in addition to financial stability.  For example, improved psychological wellbeing and quality of life, enhanced feelings of social acceptance and integration into the community.  Survivors of modern slavery have also identified that employment is a core component of sustained recovery and a life free from exploitation.

The Sophie Hayes Foundation (SHF) has been providing employability support to adult, women survivors since 2011.  This includes foundational English language support, digital skills, the CREW (Creative, Resilient, Empowered, Women) community (a lived experience group providing wrap around support) and an employability programme.  The employability programme comprises three modules delivered over a 9-to-12-month period and covers topics such as CV writing, interview skills, self-confidence and self-belief in group settings. No evaluation of the SHF employability programme has been conducted to date. 

This project aims to address the following objectives: (1) to understand the immediate, short-term, medium-term and long-term effects of the SHF employability programme on preventing re-trafficking; (2) to undertake an exploratory analysis of costs and consequences in relation to the provision of the employability programme; and (3) embed ongoing monitoring and evaluation within SHF through capacity development activities. It will involve: (1) a rapid review of the literature; (2) longitudinal evaluation of one cohort; (3) qualitative interviews with prior programme attendees; and (4) an exploratory economic analysis.