2026-2027 Services delivered: Anti-Human Trafficking Peer Support Workers

Component: Anti-Human Trafficking Community Supports

Service Delivered:: Anti-Human Trafficking Peer Support Workers

Service description

The purpose of the Anti-Human Trafficking Peer Support Workers program is to provide peer supports for survivors of human trafficking (HT) during their healing journeys and/or training for individuals with lived experience of human trafficking who are employed and/or seeking employment as peer mentors.

The Anti-Human Trafficking Peer Support Workers program:

• addresses the psychological and emotional barriers survivors face; and,
• creates inclusive environments that foster healing and socio-economic advancement.
• strengthens coordination and enhances the continuum of responsive peer services (i.e., emotional support, mentorship, systems navigation, community building) for victims and survivors of human trafficking to meet basic needs and help ensure access to trauma-informed, culturally responsive, non-stigmatizing care throughout all stages of exploitation, healing and recovery.

People served

The Program serves survivors of human trafficking.

Service features

Services will be:

• trauma informed
• responsive to the unique needs of survivors of human trafficking
• support a holistic approach to recovery, focusing on resilience and skills-building.
• employ a survivor-centered approach.

Specific service provided

Projects focused on providing trauma-informed, survivor-centered peer support programs for victims and survivors of human trafficking (i.e. emotional support, mentorship, system navigation). Projects will also provide training and support for persons with lived experience on how to navigate employment in peer mentorship roles).

Service goals

Survivors of human trafficking are empowered through access to peer support workers, to help them heal, rebuild their lives, and advance into leadership roles.

Ministry expectations

Service delivery

• services and supports will offer ongoing trauma-informed and survivor-centred training and support for staff providing peer support for other survivors
• services and supports will respect the cultural and diverse needs of all survivors including Francophone, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQQIA+, rural/remote, newcomers, survivors with disabilities, and children and youth who have been sexually exploited through sex trafficking.
• service providers are required to have staff that possess appropriate and relevant experience, which is inclusive of the lived experience of survivors.
• staff will be suitably trained and qualified to provide services to survivors who have experienced exploitation. Staff providing clinical counselling are required to comply with all applicable legislation.
• service providers will have mechanisms in place to provide counselling services or referrals to link survivors with appropriate services.
• service providers delivering services in French designated areas or delivering services to someone from a designated area shall provide an “active offer of services” in the French language.
• service providers will develop appropriate referral criteria and mechanisms with all local anti-human trafficking service providers, the Children’s Aid Society (CAS) as appropriate and suitable children, youth and adult services in order to maximize the effectiveness of services for survivors or those at risk.
• service providers will have a written service complaint and problem resolution process that will be made available to survivors or those at risk who use services upon request.
• all service providers will have in-place processes for providing culturally responsive services to Indigenous survivors or those at risk. They will also have in place processes for referring Indigenous survivors or those at risk to appropriate Indigenous supports
• service providers will be active members in ministry-funded service system planning. Where applicable, service providers may participate in anti-human trafficking coalition tables, to build and strengthen service delivery networks, implement prevention and awareness initiatives and share best practices in service delivery mechanisms.
• the Canadian Centre to End Human trafficking (CCEHT) provides a hotline for callers with questions about human trafficking supports in Canada. The hotline acts as a central response and referral mechanism, along with a central data collection mechanism. CCEHT offers 24/7, multilingual access to a safe and confidential space to ask for help, connect to services, and report tips.
• all agencies will market CCEHT whenever possible, including print materials, websites, training sessions, and promotional materials, etc.
• in order to ensure that people are referred to the most appropriate services, it is important that service providers share information about changes to their organizations’ programs and services with the CCEHT for their database, such as new programs added, changes to program locations or hours, cancellation of programs or services, or changes to key contacts. Service providers will ensure that changes are communicated to the CCEHT within 2 weeks of the change, by contacting their office.

Safety Planning

• service providers will have in place the necessary physical security measures to maintain the physical safety, within the service provider service location, of survivors receiving services and service provider employees.
• services include the development of safety strategies or plans for survivors and those at risk of human trafficking that reflect the survivor’s immediate personal circumstances, needs and choices.
• safety strategies can include and are not limited to:
  • development of safety plan for survivors who are exiting human trafficking
  • partnerships with community services
  • providing a backpack with a change of clothes, cellphone and essentials
  • providing safe transportation to access services
  • providing resources for mental health supports and harm reduction kits
  • providing safety when accessing community services

Reporting requirements

Please complete the table below for all Service Outputs your program is tracking. Ensure alignment with the Transfer Payment Performance Measurement Framework