Project NO REST: North Carolina Organizing and Responding to the Exploitation and Sexual Trafficking of Children
D. F. Duncan & Robin Colbert | September 21 | 4:00-5:00 PM | Room 2591
This session will present an overview of Project NO REST, a five-year effort funded by VOCA the Children’s Bureau, and its approach to strengthening and supporting North Carolina’s infrastructure for addressing the trafficking of vulnerable youth in the state, especially those with a child welfare connection. The session will cover the project’s development of a comprehensive plan to address both sex and labor trafficking. The session will discuss the creation of the plan by approximately 100 stakeholders from state and county agencies, non-profits, the faith community, and advocates. It will review the plan’s recommendations for prevention, youth engagement and outreach, screening and intake for victims of trafficking, services and practices for trafficking survivors, funding, and data gathering. The session also will describe the recruitment of five communities across the state to build and develop collaborative networks to implement the comprehensive plan. The session will describe the initial activities of each site and plans for the future.
Presentation Objectives:
· Overview of Project NO REST
· Review of the projects comprehensive plan to address sex and labor trafficking
· Discussion of recommendations for prevention, youth engagement and outreach, screening and intake, services and practices, funding, and data collection for victims and survivors