ECPAT-USA's Anti-Trafficking Activist Toolkit is being tested by New York City High School students. The Toolkit educates young people about human trafficking and provides the knowledge and skills they need to educate their peers. Using a "learn and lead" approach, the project enables youth to take ownership of the project and empowers them to speak out about exploitation and about what young people can do in their own communities.
St. Joseph High School in Brooklyn was the first school to use the Toolkit. The response was overwhelming. Meetings of the Girls Against Trafficking Club grew throughout the semester.
We also held programs with Brooklyn International High School and the United Nations International School.
Two training sessions on human trafficking, healthy relationships and internet safety were also held for students at Middle School 302 Luisa Dessus in the Bronx. The students were thoroughly engaged throughout the interactive presentation. One student said afterward that the presentation "helped me understand that this [trafficking] can happen anywhere--even close to home." Another said "I didn't know that there are millions of people trapped worldwide in human trafficking, and that human trafficking occurs on the internet and outside."