Nonprofit

Oasis USA

After several years of testing and developing the model, there are now 14 TFCs in various stages of development in California, Colorado, Ohio and Florida. Through training and support provided by Oasis, TFCs: * Participated as a leading member of the Raise the Bar! campaign on a multi-year national campaign to petition Hershey to use fair trade chocolate; in late 2012 Hershey announced specific plans to head in that direction; * Provide ongoing support and assistance to a young woman trafficked into the USA who then identified herself as a victim to a local LA TFC; * Resourced the FBI, local law enforcement and direct service providers with more than 60 freedom bags for trafficking victims rescued in a LA sting operation this year; more than 100 freedom bags have been provided in the last year; * Worked with the LA Metro Anti-TraffickingTask Force to implement a city-wide anti-trafficking bus bench campaign in 2012; * Provided education and awareness to over 1200 new activists in 2011-12; * Mentor survivors of trafficking in partnership with direct service providers, while also providing ESL, cooking and baking classes; * Created an anti-trafficking awareness campaign with funding from the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Refuge and Resettlement that reached over 8,000 people face-to-face with awareness information; we worked with Chinese media outlets to publish ten newspaper articles, televise multiple interviews, produce a public service announcement aired on three different Chinese channels, and carry out a public awareness campaign using the LA metro transport system; * Share valuable information and research gathered on trafficking hotspots and vulnerabilities with local officials, most recently a local LA County mayor who was unaware of the issues facing his community; * Served as a sub-grantee in partnership with the Coalition Against Slavery and Trafficking on a Department of Justice grant; through more than 60 outreach and training events, Oasis provided training to more than 5,000 individuals in the LA area; * Celebrated several years of grass roots community organizing and advocacy in partnership with Fair Trade Town USA in seeing Pasadena declared the second Fair Trade Town in California; * Partnered with Pasadena Unified School District enabling more than 250 high school students to receive anti-trafficking awareness and education through its ‘Summer Skillz’ program; this curriculum, currently being adapted for use by public schools in Florida, can also be adapted for younger students and is available upon request.

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1 Submitted Idea

  • 2013 Grants Challenge

    Making LA TraffickFree: ending trafficking 1 COMMUNITY at a time

    We want to see human trafficking end in Los Angeles and throughout the United States. We believe it is possible to end human trafficking 1 COMMUNITY at a time using a multi-sectored approach that mobilizes and empowers individuals from within the community to address vulnerabilities for trafficking in their own local area. Oasis has developed the TraffickFree Community (TFC) model to mobilize and equip citizens to lead local, grassroots action by working with 8 key stakeholders with the collective power to end slavery. To initiate this kind of change in LA, Oasis would like to start 10 new TFCs by the end of 2013. Human Trafficking is a global problem with a local face that will only be effectively addressed as local communities take responsibility for responding to specific issues in their area. Oasis was founded in the 1980s in London with a vision for community transformation; it’s now grown to 10 countries across the world, each fighting human trafficking by empowering local communities. In the US, the secret to success is the TFC model of local ownership by citizen leaders who leverage their social capital for cooperative change that benefits the whole community. Oasis provides the necessary training and support to build skills and opportunities that foster mutual trust and constructive social interaction. Oasis has identified 8 key community stakeholders that could potentially engage with the life of someone who has been trafficked – schools, local business, consumers, media, faith communities/NGOs, first responders, law enforcement and local legislatures. When working together, using their collective power for the benefit of the vulnerable and marginalized, these stakeholders strengthen the community to function as a whole – a place where everyone is included, making a contribution and reaching their ultimate potential. Communities should be healthy, inclusive, integrated, empowering and supportive, where every citizen can experience wholeness and fullness of life. Trafficking is not able to exist or flourish here. The uniqueness of the TFC model is its ability to replicate anti-trafficking campaigns and activities in a variety of contexts, regardless of social, racial, ethnic, socio-economic or other demographic factors. Each TFC looks different because each community is different. Therefore, it is essential that local citizen leaders from within the community drive the vision, strategy and activities of a TFC. TFCs are catalysts that motivate, encourage and lead by example, united by a common ideology that trafficking has no place in our communities – in LA or globally. 10 new TFCs will be strategically established throughout LA using the following criteria: • proximity to known trafficking routes; • committed and engaged citizen leaders; • existing anti-trafficking networks and momentum. In addition to receiving training on the global and local dynamics of trafficking, new TFC participants will be trained in research design to discover the vulnerabilities and issues specific to their community. They will learn how to engage the 8 stakeholders, first focusing on existing networks and those that influence the most significant vulnerabilities in their communities. Empowered with information and strategies for engaging the resources and networks necessary for bringing about change, Oasis will continue to develop, resource and support these citizen leaders to act - creating stronger more connected communities. Additionally, these new TFCs will have the opportunity to engage and learn from one another and existing TFCs - sharing best practices, team and community building techniques, advocacy tools, challenges and stories. Furthermore, Oasis will equip these civic leaders to be creative catalysts empowered to educate, organize, train and lead others. In addition to creating 10 new TFCs, Oasis will sponsor and facilitate no less than 10 additional community engagement events. These events will provide models for awareness and outreach events, while resourcing new TFCs with a solid foundation on which they can build their networks and implement strategies specific to the needs of their communities. Such events could include general human trafficking awareness and education for Angelinos, specialized stakeholder trainings, leadership and community building workshops, and strategic listening groups between stakeholders (e.g. police and youth; police and first responders; teachers, parents and students; businesses and consumers).. Effective collaboration and partnership between and amongst TFCs requires efficient and user friendly communication tools and platforms. Part of this project will invest in communication tools, training curriculum, campaign promotional materials, marketing and/or other resources for training and supporting TFCs as they work to educate, engage and unite their community in the fight against slavery.

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