Increasing Knowledge, Skills & Confidence: Supporting Social Workers in Ontario Respond to Human Trafficking Through Online Education
Deepy Sur, MSW, PhD, RSW; Jasmine Ferreira, MSW, RSW, PhD(c); Faisal Islam, PhD & Smit Mistry, MPH | September 23 | 1:45-2:45 PM
Topic: Research, Direct Service | Knowledge Level: Beginner
Social workers (RSWs) are on the frontlines of responding to vulnerable and marginalized individuals, including those who are experiencing human trafficking and gender-based violence (Mahapatra, Faulkner, & Schatz 2016). It is therefore increasingly important that RSWs are adequately trained to 1) recognize risk factors associated with human trafficking, 2) provide immediate and appropriate support after identification, and 3) aid and advance long-term recovery (Dell et al., 2019; Donnelly et al., 2019; Hodge, 2014). The Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW) online education programming aims to address knowledge and practice gaps by providing social workers with targeted knowledge on identifying and supporting persons who have experienced human trafficking. This evaluation study seeks to identify what differences, if any, these online training opportunities made to the knowledge, confidence, skills, and practice of social workers in the context of human trafficking. Using Donald Kirkpatrick’s evaluation framework of continuing education for adults, the evaluation is comprised of: (1) a post-webinar survey to assess change in knowledge, satisfaction, and intention to change practice; and (2) a 3-month follow-up survey to assess how change in knowledge is retained and used in practice. Early findings from participants are overwhelmingly positive. Participants report increased knowledge (91%) of different types of human trafficking, supporting the process of exiting human trafficking (81%), and increased confidence identifying signs of human trafficking (91%). Additional analysis from follow-up surveys will be shared. Future directions for social work education and how to eliminate practice gaps for social workers in supporting human trafficking survivors will be discussed.
Presentation Objectives:
· Highlight the increasingly critical front line role social workers play in supporting persons experiencing or exiting human trafficking
· Review the importance of social workers being equipped to identifying signs of human trafficking, facilitate safe and appropriate exit from human trafficking, and support long-term recovery of survivors
· Share findings from a recent program evaluation study on virtual education offerings aiming to increase skills, knowledge, and confidence of social workers working with individuals who are experiencing or have experienced human trafficking