IOFA Talk

Mental Illness and the Transition to Adulthood

2012-02-29T13:38:00.001-08:00

From IOFA's in-country assessments, we have found that many of the orphaned youth transitioning to adulthood in Ethiopia and Cambodia demonstrate significant vulnerabilities to mental illnesses including trauma disorders. At the link attached below, Social Service Administration Doctoral student at the University of Chicago, Vanessa Vorhies, discusses with WBEZ the transition to adulthood for young people experiencing mental illness. As mentioned in the piece, people ages 18 through 25 are the demographic most likely to experience mental illness of some kind during this significant stage in life. In the United States, the transition to adulthood while facing mental health challenges is difficult. In poorer countries, such as Ethiopia and Cambodia, the challenges are arguably greater. IOFA's Transitions Initiative will include the issue of mental illness in its ongoing research of adolescents aging out of alternative care and include this area in our ongoing assessments in Ethiopia and Cambodia.

http://www.wbez.org/story/tricky-transition-adulthood-93294

Children Belong with Families - A Guest Blog from Michael Pease, Director of Substitute Families for Abandoned Children (SFAC)

2012-02-23T08:32:00.000-08:00

IOFA is delighted to present a thought provoking post from guest blogger, Michael Pease, Director of Substitute Families for Abandoned Children (SFAC).

Michael is a strong and committed advocate for reducing the institutionalization of children and supporting permanent loving families for all children. SFAC is a global ally in IOFA's Transitions Initiative effort!

Families, Children and Institutions - Michael Pease

Family is the most natural phenomenon that exists across all tribes, race and cultures. A family is where a child is born and where it should remain unless there are serious reasons why not; for example abuse, trafficking or disasters. Children are born into a family whether a couple, married or single parent. They inherit the genetics of their biological parents as well as the traditions of the extended family members and community. That is their heritage and origin. Poverty alone is not a good enough reason for placing children into institutional care as most families in poverty resist that temptation.

Many children deemed to be orphans actually have a parent or relative living somewhere. Just because they have been placed in an orphanage doesn’t make them an orphan! Organisations need to think more about the child’s longer term interest and invest more in reunification programmes or in the event there is no family or they’re not suitable, then substitute families. A family is the most natural place for children and not institutions; always has been and always will be. Of course not all families are safe or good for children but it should be the first and not the last port of call when considering the best options for orphaned and abandoned children.

Often children are placed and received into institutions because it relieves the immediate problem without thinking through the implications it has for the child and organisation in the longer term. The child may well have material provision and education but many lose out on what family means and how it operates on the smaller scale leaving them without the important life model of being parented in order to learn how to be a parent. Organisations have their own problem continually raising much needed funds to sustain their work as their numbers inevitably increase.

SFAC’s focus is to promote family based care programmes in less developed countries for orphaned and abandoned children where they have the biggest problems and the least resources.

Learn more about the critical work of SFAC at: www.sfac.org.uk

IOFA featured on League of Women Voters Panel - February 21

2012-02-14T11:59:00.000-08:00

IOFA is excited to announce that we will be presenting on a panel organized by the League of Women Voters of the LaGrange Area, to talk about human trafficking. We will also be joined by our partners at the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, the Salvation Army STOP IT Program, and the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation.

For more information, visit the LaGrange Area League of Women Voters website here. As their website says, Democracy is not a spectator sport! Join us and make your voice heard!

Where does your Valentine's Day chocolate come from?

2012-02-13T12:39:00.000-08:00

Valentine’s Day is approaching and so is the purchase and consumption of that delicious, dark, and tempting treat: chocolate. Chocolate is a commodity long revered, from the Mayans to modern day America; however, the chocolate in today’s market may have a less than regal background.

Coming to the attention of the public market in 2001 with a series of investigative articles by Knight Ridder newspapers, we learned that much of the cocoa production for our Godiva, Nestlé, or Hershey chocolates was harvested by children trafficked into the field.¹ Some of the worst reported cases were along Africa’s western coast (Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo), which accounts for more 75 percent of the world’s cocoa market, according to foodispower.org.² Reports estimated that as many as 200,000 child slaves were working within the chocolate industry. Poverty stricken families would sell their children to traffickers, with the promise of a decent job. However, these children frequently ended up on cocoa farms, working 80 to 100 hours per week, beaten, and barely fed.¹Adolescents are often the most vulnerable to this, as they look for any form of employment to support their families. It is acknowledged that, more than a decade later, little progress has been made.

Small victories, however, such as the government’s release of their “List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor” and the passing of the 2010 “California Transparency in Supply Chains Act” give hope that the time is ripe for us to become more aware consumers; not just picking the chocolate with the best packaging, but rather pausing to select one that was made and produced through fair practices.

In the spirit of reducing exploitation of vulnerable youth around the world, IOFA encourages you to look more closely at what you buy this Valentine’s Day. Whether starting in the candy aisle, or taking the first step towards self-education by discovering your own “slavery footprint” at www.slaveryfootprint.org, we all have a role to play in putting an end to slavery worldwide. This February 14^th, you and your sweetie can still have delicious chocolate while reducing the demand for slave labor!

Carly Loehrke, Program Development Intern

[1] Atlas, D. (2012, February 12). Debra Atlas: Find chocolate with a conscience. [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://www.redding.com/news/2012/feb/12/debra-atlas-find-chocolate-with-a-conscience/

[2] Food Empowerment Project. (2010). Slavery in the Chocolate Industry. Retrieved from http://foodispower.org/slavery_chocolate.htm

IOFA weighs in on orphanages in Cambodia

2012-02-08T11:59:00.000-08:00

An article in the Telegraph last week asked the critical question: Is orphanage tourism helpful or a hindrance? IOFA was one of the organizations to weigh in on the issue as it pertains to Cambodia. As we've said in the past, institutionalized care and the inevitable transition out pose risks for youth across the world.

IOFA's mention in the article:

"Research recently conducted by IOFA found that young adults who left orphanages experienced a variety of problems, including damaged or severed family connections, homelessness, exploitation, trafficking and drug abuse. Its findings, IOFA says, challenge the widespread belief that institutional care is better for children from poor families."

View the rest of the article here!

IOFA in New York State

2012-02-03T14:15:00.000-08:00

Similiar to our work with the Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force, IOFA is helping to establish effective and successful systems of response to human trafficking in other parts of the country. In 2000, IOFA established the first anti-trafficking task force in New York City and has been working with dozens of communities around the world on the issue ever since. Below is an article about IOFA's work in New York State with the Westchester County Anti-Trafficking Task Force. For more information about how IOFA can help your county or city launch and manage a task force to fight the crime of human trafficking, call us at 773-404-8831.

Westchester Task Force Unveils Plans to Develop

Multi-Agency Protocol
Link to Full Article

The Westchester County Anti-Trafficking Task Force, spearheaded by the International Organization for Adolescents (IOFA), My Sisters’ Place, the Pound Ridge Police Department, and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, kicked off the start to their second year by unveiling a plan to develop a multi-agency anti-trafficking protocol.

According to Ali Boak, Co-founder and President of IOFA and Special Advisor to the Task Force who will lead the group through the process of protocol development said, “The process of developing the protocol is nearly as important as the outcome document itself. We will work as a group to closely examine the role and responsibilities of each agency when a case of human trafficking is identified.”

Unlike many crimes, human trafficking often requires joint cooperation between and among local, state and federal law enforcement as well as social service providers. Audrey Stone, 2^nd Deputy District Attorney, Chief, Special Prosecutions Division, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office commented “The launch of our County’s Anti-Trafficking Task Force represents our first county-wide unified response to trafficking. Our success in tracking offenders and prosecuting traffickers will be enhanced through the Task Force’s joint work and cooperation.”

Nicholas Sensley, the Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy and Development Consultant for Humanity United, spoke to the task force at their first meeting of 2012 about his experience developing task forces around the world. “It’s encouraging to see the unity and interdependence of the Westchester County Anti-Trafficking Task Force. The essential seal for continuity and dependable resourcefulness is an operational protocol. “

“To ensure a victim-centered response, it’s critical that task force members have in place a set of guidelines about how law enforcement and social service providers, such as My Sisters’ Place, will work in collaboration to protect the rights of potentially trafficked persons and meet their needs once they are identified” says Karen Cheeks-Lomax, Executive Director of My Sisters’ Place.

The protocol development is slated to begin this Spring but the group will also continue their important efforts to train first responders across the County. To date the task force has trained over 300 law enforcement agents, hospital workers, social workers, ambulance drivers, and other professionals likely to encounter potential victims of human trafficking.

Members of the Westchester County Task Force include: Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, State Attorney General’s Office, U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (ICE), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), State Department of Labor, Westchester County Association of Police Chiefs, Westchester County Family Justice Center (FJC), Westchester County Department of Public Safety Westchester County Department of Probation, Yonkers Police Department, Yorktown Police Department, Westchester County Office for Women, Port Chester Police Department, Peekskill Police Department New Rochelle Police Department Mount Vernon Police Department, White Plains Police Department, Pound Ridge Police Department, Mount Kisco Police Department, Child Welfare Training Academy, International Organization for Adolescents (IOFA), My Sisters’ Place, Hispanic Resource Center, Victim Assistance Services, and Hudson River HealthCare.

Left to Right: Christa Stewart,Coordinator, New York State Human Trafficking Program, Manager, Bureau of Refugee & Immigrant Assistance/OTDA, Amy Siniscalchi, Director of Programs, My Sisters’ Place, Nicholas Sensley, the Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy and Development Consultant for Humanity United, Chief David Ryan, Pound Ridge Police Department, Ali Boak, Co-Founder and President, International Organization for Adolescents (IOFA) and Advisor to the Task Force, Suzanne Luntz, Human Trafficking Coordinator, My Sisters’ Place, Bruce May, Victim Specialist, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

HT Trafficking Awareness Month: Question 2 – What is the primary cause of human trafficking?

2012-01-18T14:26:00.000-08:00

As part of our effort to initiate dialogue during Human Trafficking Awareness Month, we wanted to pose another question for discussion. Human trafficking has many causes. Trafficking victims come from a variety of different countries and backgrounds. They are men, women, and children exploited for labor as well as the sex trade. There are multiple reasons why human trafficking, or modern day slavery exists around the world. While we know the causes are numerous, we wanted to pose the question:

What do you think is the primary cause or push factor behind the growing problem of human trafficking?

Register your answer and provide your feedback at the link above. We will share the results in the coming days. Feel free to share this blog post with anyone interested in participating in the discussion.

Thanks!

The IOFA Team

Thanks for taking our survey!

2012-01-13T15:33:00.000-08:00

Many of you have taken this week's poll and we'd like to thank you for your thoughtful comments! The results: none of the 15 respondents thought that all sex work should be considered trafficking.

We ask this question for a specific reason. In our work, we find that there is quite a bit of confusion amongst our community partners and the general public about what trafficking looks like and what it does not look like. As an organization, IOFA works to clarify these issues so that the efforts to combat human trafficking are focused and targeted toward victims.

We advocate that people take note of the legislative definition of trafficking and focus on the involvement of force, fraud or coercion (except for minors, where no force, fraud or coercion needs to be present). Human trafficking is slavery. No one can consent to being enslaved. The issue is not black and white, and we respect and uphold the rights of both victims of trafficking and sex workers. In the spirit of National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, we hope this poll (and our post about the complexities of trafficking) provided an opportunity for a lively discussion about this critical social justice issue.

Stay tuned for another question next week!

Should all sex work be considered trafficking?

2012-01-09T14:49:00.000-08:00

President Obama declared January National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. As part of these thirty days, IOFA would like to pose a question each week that initiates critical dialogue and hopefully some thought-provoking conversation with friends.

These days, anti-trafficking organizations and statistics abound, but we’ve siphoned through the media coverage to find some articles that highlight the complexity of the situation.

Feministing’s take: http://feministing.com/2012/01/04/potus-declares-human-trafficking-prevention-month/

Trafficking legislation states that if the age of an individual has been verified to be under 18, and the individual is in any way involved in the commercial sex industry, or has a record of prior arrest for prostitution (or related charges), then he or she is a victim. One Wisconsin man’s recent arrest even stemmed from advocacy on behalf of an adult sex worker who found his request for an 8-year-old girl offensive. You can read the article here: http://www.channel3000.com/news/30136733/detail.html

Vulnerable adolescents under the age of 18 are clearly victims of trafficking, but what about adults? Thousands of people take part in the sex trade each year. Many of them declare their work a choice. So, our question to you, is, should all sex work be considered trafficking? Take our poll here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FBSWDV7

~Summar Ghias, Program Development Intern

Meet the Challenge - End Child Trafficking/Help Orphaned Youth Age out of CARE

2011-12-21T07:24:00.000-08:00

Click here to see how you can help IOFA by making a year end gift. Only 11 more days till December 31st! Thanks to all of you who have already given. We truly appreciate it.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Meet-the-Challenge.html?soid=1102323000424&aid=J8_anMwmfY8

Youth Aging Out of Care in Ethiopia Not Prepared

2011-12-09T15:20:00.000-08:00

When preparing for the focus groups to begin in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Nikel Bailey and Carly Loehrke searched for individuals to work as translators. IOFA believed it was critical to have translators with social work backgrounds provide English-to-Amharic interpretation for the youth and adolescents who participated.

Mikiyas Feyissa was one such translator. He received his Bachelors of Arts degree in Business Management from Haramaya University. In the past, he has worked as the Cooperative Affairs Officer and as the Research & Communications Officer for the Organization for Women in Self Employment (WISE). Mikiyas is currently the Program Manager for Livelihood and Capacity Building at the Organization for Child Development and Transformation (CHADET) located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

It is with this experience that we asked Mikiyas to be a guest blogger for IOFA this week. Below, he shares some insights into this vulnerable population:

With a total population of over 73.9 million, Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa after Nigeria. Children below the age of 18 make up fifty five percent of the population (CSA, 2007). As of 2009, it was estimated that about 5,459,139 orphans live in Ethiopia, of whom 855,720 are orphaned due to HIV/AIDS[1]. The existence of orphanages and community support in Ethiopia has been instrumental in contributing to the provision of basic services and life skills for some of these children. After the youth leave the orphanages and community support systems, they become vulnerable due to the lack of structured support in the country for youth who leave care.

I was able to discuss these issues with youth during a focus group discussion I co-facilitated for a study conducted by IOFA in Ethiopia. The opportunity helped me to realize that youth who aged out of care were endangered when they faced the cold world by themselves. Even those who are currently in care developed a fear for the time when they would age out of care. The youth even said that they will ‘beg’ if the service provided halts. The orphaned youth said that they are not yet prepared for and acquainted with the process and problems associated with aging out. They have also illustrated that they are not equipped to live independently and are uncertain of where and how they will maintain their livelihoods when they leave care, which clearly shows their vulnerability to sexual and labor exploitation.

The issue calls for a consolidated Transitions Support system in the country which would provide wholesome skills and support for youth who have just left care and for those who are about to leave care. The design of this intervention could partly include, but is not limited to: provision of a practical life skills training that will help the youth become bold enough to face the intimidating outside world, a mechanism where the youth could support each other in harsh times, a marketable vocational skills and business training for employment and self-employment, and the formation of a referral network to link youth to benefits.

Mikiyas Feyissa
Program Manager for Livelihood and Capacity Building
Organization for Child Development and Transformation (CHADET)

[1] Standard Service Delivery Guidelines, for Orphan and Vulnerable Children’s Care and Support Programs, February 2010,Federal Democratic republic of Ethiopia, Ministry of Women’s Affairs

All the effort to protect her...and it ends like this.

2011-11-18T12:17:00.000-08:00

During the summer, IOFA had the opportunity to partner with Children's Heaven in Ethiopia. Children’s Heaven is a community-based support program for young girls who have been orphaned due to HIV/AIDS. Executive Director, Hanna Fanta, heads the program and has graciously offered to share her some of her thoughts and personal observations as a guest blogger for IOFA this week. As the leader of an organization working with orphaned youth, Hanna has grown increasingly concerned with the challenges facing her girls as they prepare to leave her care. In fact, just this past year, the problem become personal as Children’s Heaven watched its first girl graduate from their program, uncertain of her future path. Please continue reading to hear Hanna Fanta describe, in her own words, the dilemma faced by Children’s Heaven (as well as many other organizations).

Hanna Fanta

Executive Director, Children’s Heaven

Young people transitioning out of the care system are significantly exposed to unemployment, health issues, early parenthood and homelessness. Children’s Heaven is giving basic services to girl orphans to help them fulfill their vision. However, there is a gap of transitioning these young girls from care to adulthood.

Once the orphan girls exit our program, we do not have a system that could help them face the challenges that is waiting for them. At present, this has affected our first girl, Wosene, who just finished our program.

I could say that a few months before graduating Hair Dressing [vocational training], I have been noticing unusual behavior in her character due to uncertainty of her future. Her unpreparedness for the future has made her to take a wrong turn, which she has no clue what the consequence is going to be.

Wosene left the organization two months after her graduation and joined two orphan girls who are leaving by themselves in a small muddy house. Getting a job and supporting herself was not easy for her for she has no clue what to expect and how to get ready. We are afraid she is already in a position that could put her in a situation that is not her choice at all to support herself, prostitution. We are sad that all the years of our effort to protect her from harm and supporting her for a better future has to end this way. Had we had a program that supports adolescents as they transition to adulthood safely, the outcome of Wosene’s future would have been different.

To Children's Heaven Organization, which is taking care of orphan girls, to have a program that will empower our girls to face challenges in their transition is not an option. In order to make this possible, we are delighted to partner with IOFA, an organization dedicated to strengthen the lives of young people around the world.

Criminals or Victims?

2011-11-01T13:55:00.000-07:00

On Sunday night, the TV show “Our America with Lisa Ling” told viewers the heartbreaking stories of girls, all under the age of 18, who have been victims of sex trafficking. Host Lisa Ling was guided through her investigation of child trafficking in Washington, D.C. by Tina Frundt, who is a trafficking survivor and the founder and executive director of Courtney’s House, an organization that provides services and support to child trafficking victims. Courtney’s House does street outreach work and offers intake assessments, a shelter for trafficking survivors, case management services, therapy, and medical referrals.

All too often, however, children who have been involved in the commercial sex industry are not recognized as victims of human trafficking and therefore do not receive the services they need, services like those provided at Courtney’s House. During the show, Lisa Ling repeatedly made a very important point: all children and youth who are under 18 and who are involved in commercial sex work are victims of human trafficking.

The recognition that youth under 18 who are involved in sex work are, by definition, trafficking victims is an essential first step in making sure they receive the services they need. According to the 2000 Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), anyone who is involved in commercial sex work as result of the use of force, fraud, or coercion is a victim of human trafficking. However, in the case of children under 18, the TVPA specifies that force, fraud, or coercion need not be present in order for the situation to be considered human trafficking. Here in Illinois, that definition of trafficking was reinforced by the 2010 Safe Children Act, which removed references to “juvenile prostitutes” from the Illinois Criminal Code and provided additional protections for child trafficking victims.

As an implementing partner for the Illinois Safe Children Act, IOFA is launching the ChildRight program to spread the word about this issue and to train service providers on how to identify and provide services to trafficking victims.

We hope that Sunday’s program will help draw attention to this issue. And we hope that you’ll support IOFA’s work to make sure that child trafficking victims get the support and services they need.

Is it Trafficking? The Telltale Signs.

2011-10-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

Summar Ghias, IOFA Program Development Intern:

I was on the bus. Per the usual rush hour traffic, I was standing sandwiched between countless others on my way home from work. As I stood awkwardly close, infringing on the personal space of those who had been fortunate enough to get a seat, I noticed one young girl in particular. She sat forlorn, staring out the window and then at her phone as she texted. Her left hand had a tattoo etched on it; weaved between her thumb and index finger was a man’s name. Unable to look anywhere else because of the lack of space on the bus, I saw her read a text from an unknown number, which said, “I want to help you”. Seconds later, a woman who sat diagonally in a seat a row ahead snatched the phone away. The woman responded to the text for her with “what did you say?” Standing over them on the crowded bus, my curiosity piqued. Was this girl okay? Who was the woman and why were they not sitting together or speaking at all otherwise? Was the girl's tattoo a form of branding or did she simply have a tattoo of her boyfriend’s name?

Identifying victims is a vital step in the fight against human trafficking. An estimated minimum of 16,000 to 25,000 women and girls are victims of commercial sexual exploitation in Chicago every year.[i] While I didn’t have enough information to gauge the situation on my bus ride, there are telltale signs that you can look out for to identify victims of human trafficking.

At IOFA, we train law enforcement, legal service providers and social service agencies on some of these indicators. If the age of an individual has been verified to be under 18, and the individual is in any way involved in the commercial sex industry, or has a record of prior arrest for prostitution (or related charges), then he or she is a victim.

Some other signs are below:

Avoids eye contact
Evidence of being controlled (rarely alone)
Persistent fear, depression, anxiety, submissive behavior
Hyper vigilant or paranoid behavior
Loss of sense of time and space
No passport or other identifying documentation
Not speaking on own behalf and/or no English speaking
Evidence of inability to move or leave job or take time off
Unpaid for work or compensated very little
Lives with co-workers and "employer" - no privacy
Untreated illnesses and infections
Signs of physical abuse or substance abuse
Secrecy about whereabouts
Unaccounted for time, vagueness concerning whereabouts, and/or defensiveness in response to questions or concern
Keeping late night or unusual hours
A tattoo that he or she is reluctant to explain

If you suspect an incidence of human trafficking, please call the 24-hour National Hotline at (888) 3737-888 or IOFA at (773) 404-8831.

[i] O'Leary, C., Howard, O. "The Prostitution of Women and Girls in Metropolitan Chicago:A Preliminary Prevalence Report. Center for Impact Research. Chicago, 2001

Welcome Summar Ghias!

2011-10-17T10:17:00.000-07:00

Summar Ghias, IOFA Program Development Intern

As a travel journalist, I had once enjoyed writing abridged tourist-friendly blurbs on the latest vacation hot spots. This type of surface examination had still managed to cater to the anthropologist in me; my research would most often unintentionally shed light on the many social and cultural nuances that are inherent to distinct locales and the societies that make them up. Three years out of college, and I knew it wasn’t enough. I thought back to the narrative journalism class that had led me to Andrea, a Guatemalan refugee who had been granted asylum, but who had endured horrific circumstances while being smuggled into the United States.

Her story was a powerful look at the ways in which violence can uproot the lives of families across the world. But what struck me most was the sexual violence her peers had gone through as a form of “entry” into the country by coyotes in the trade – something Andrea had avoided by handing over the only money she had brought with her. I decided my time as a magazine journalist was limited. I would actively pursue avenues to helping young women and girls, not simply write about the places in which they lived. Now a year into my graduate education at the Social Service Administration at University of Chicago, I find myself committed to doing just that.

As a participant in Heartland International’s summer exchange program for emerging grassroots leaders, I helped create joint projects with local participants in Nicaragua and Belize, initiating dialogue on human trafficking and assessing gaps in social services particular to each country. It is with this experience that I’m committed to helping eradicate human trafficking from the world’s vocabulary at large. I’m thrilled to be a program development intern at the International Organization for Adolescents, where I’ll be working with local and national anti-trafficking efforts in collaboration with the Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force team and on outreach and awareness raising on the subject. Let the journey begin!

"No One is Doing Anything"

2011-09-09T13:51:00.000-07:00

From Nikel Bailey, IOFA Program Development Intern:

Living in Addis Kidan Guesthouse in Ethiopia has been just as much of a learning experience as working in the field. Every week new people have moved into the house. Whenever a new person moves in, we are asked the same question: “What brings you to Ethiopia?” It has surprised me that everyone is doing some sort of work with orphaned youth in Addis. However, they are often working only with small and young children. When I explain to them what I am doing here in regards to the Transitions Initiative they often respond by saying:

· “Wow…this is fantastic…we worry about what will happen to these youth as they get older.”

· “Where will they go?”

· “Who will help them when they are too old to stay at the orphanage that I volunteer at?”

This feedback encourages me to learn as much as possible about the youth transitioning into adulthood here in Addis. As IOFA visits different organizations and we ask if anyone is focusing on this group of youth, we are consistently told:

"No one is doing anything."

The organizations are eager to establish some sort of center, referral program or network for this population. This is exactly what IOFA’s Transitions Initiative intends to do.

In the upcoming weeks, IOFA will conduct focus groups with youth who have left care or are about to leave care. Several organizations have referred youth to participate. We have translators that have experience in the social work field confirmed to assist throughout the focus groups. I am excited to hear the youth’s personal stories of how life is/was like for them once they left the care of an orphanage and what would have helped them during that transition. It is critical that the voices of youth are heard and that IOFA integrates this feedback and ideas directly into development of the the Transitions Initiative.

Visit IOFA-Talk soon to hear about the experiences of young people aging out care in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

IOFA in Ethiopia: Support for Youth Aging out of Alternative Care Severely Lacking

2011-08-31T15:07:00.000-07:00

With the overwhelming support from grassroots organizations in Ethiopia for IOFA's Transitions Initiative, the past week in Addis Ababa has been a successful one. Non-governmental organizations across missions are recognizing that the transitional period between adolescence and adulthood is one of the most critical stages in a young person’s life, particularly for those young people who have lived most of their lives in orphanages or other forms of institutionalized care. Many of our initial conversations, however, with organizations on the ground, confirm that the amount of support available to these youth is severely lacking. We met this week with Executive Director of Kingdom Vision International, Eyob Kolcha, to hear firsthand the concern about youth leaving care with little or no support. Mr. Kolcha stated the following:

"What are these youths to do? We rescue them when they are young so that they can know love and care, so that they have shelter and food. But when they grow up, where does our attention go? How do we expect them to survive on their own when we have made them so dependent? We can do better. We must do better. This Transition Initiative is where we can start together."

Eyob is right. We can do better and we must do better. In the upcoming weeks, as we continue our work and research in Addis Ababa, we will focus specifically on knowing how we can do better and building the Transitions Initiative around the answers to that question.

Next, IOFA will be conducting focus groups with young people who are about to leave care and who have already left care and are living on their own. We will learn about their experiences and hear about their proposed solutions. IOFA's Transitions Initiative Ethiopia is taking shape!

More to come.

IOFA Supports Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force

2011-08-27T08:44:00.000-07:00

IOFA is proud to support the Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force in their major effort to identify and remove young girls from severe forms of trafficking and exploitation. This week, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office and various law enforcement enforcement agencies conducted a major take down of a gang-managed human sex trafficking ring. IOFA is partnering with the CCSAO and The Salvation Army's STOP-IT program to develop and facilitate the human trafficking task force that helped to make this achievement possible.

We are delighted that law enforcement involved with this effort are building their cases and prosecuting the 9 traffickers arrested through a victim-centered approach. All of the dozens of children, adolescents, and young women violently coerced into prostitution were not arrested, but treated as victims and offered social service support. IOFA is proud to be part of this process and looks to continued work with our Cook County team!

Please read the Cook County State's Attorney's office PRESS RELEASE for more details on the effort and the IOFA partnership.

IOFA Begins Transitions Initiative Work in Ethiopia!

2011-08-12T10:37:00.000-07:00

IOFA is proud to announce the launch of start up activities for the Transitions Initiative in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Graciously funded by the Phyllis Pehlke Fund, IOFA has placed two graduate interns (see introductions below) from the University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration with our partner organization, Children's Heaven. Children's Heaven is a community-based support program for young girls who have been orphaned due to HIV/AIDS. From July to September, IOFA will assist Children's Heaven in the adaptation of IOFA's Project Prepare curriculum to prepare older girls in the program for their transition to adulthood and independent living. Additionally, IOFA will be conducting focus groups with young people across Addis who have aged out of institutionalized or other forms of temporary care. Similar to our assessment in Cambodia, we will gather their perspectives and experiences on emerging into a community, as a young adult, with few resources and social connections. At the end of the assessment, IOFA will determine how to pursue the Transitions Initiative in Ethiopia and will begin development of an effective and innovative support and services program for this vulnerable group.

On July 28, I led an informational meeting with 20 local non-governmental organizations working with youth in Ethiopia. The response to the Transitions Initiative was extremely positive and it is very clear that there is an extreme gap in services to youth aging out of temporary care and a high risk of exploitation and abuse as they emerge into their young adult years.

IOFA wishes to thank all the donors who gave to the Phyllis Pehlke Fund in honor of my mother-in-law. We know she would be very proud of this project and the support that IOFA will provide to vulnerable young people as they age out of temporary care and begin their transition to adulthood.

More information to come! Thanks to everyone for supporting IOFA and this critical work!

Shelby
ED

INTRODUCTIONS TO NIKEL BAILEY AND CARLY LOEHRKE
IOFA PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT INTERNS

Nikel Bailey, IOFA Program Development Intern:

Helping people and communities has always been an interest of mine. This is why I continue to work in the field of social work. Having had experience working with youth and families that have suffered from trauma and are infected/affected with HIV/AIDS, I have worked as a counselor, case manager, program coordinator and facilitator. My experiences also include program research and evaluation. Currently, I am a graduate student in The School of Social Service Administration at The University of Chicago and will be graduating with a master’s degree in March 2012.

Throughout my work experience I have always asked the question: How can I best help you? I ask this question instead of jumping to give advice because it is critical that we take time to learn the strengths and needs of the people we are serving before creating an ill-fitting solution. This is why I am excited about the Transitions Initiative in Ethiopia.

During the next couple of months, we will be conducting research and assessing the needs of youth in alternative care and youth aging out of care. Through these in person interviews we will be able to shape the Transitions Initiative according to the needs of this population in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Our findings will help us best serve these, often overlooked, youth. I look forward to the remaining time I will spend at Children’s Heaven in Ethiopia this summer gathering information and implementing this new project. I am also very thankful to be a part of this new initiative.

Carly Loehrke, IOFA Program Development Intern

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. -William James

Throughout the world, regardless of religion, profession, gender, or culture, I have encountered people who are agents of change in their community. Living examples of change, these community leaders’ contributions are contagious- inspiring us to strive toward being able to say, “I made a difference today.”

The first time those words authentically represented my experiences came while I was working as a Peace Corps volunteer in Benin, West Africa. While there to teach English as Foreign Language at the local secondary school, I saw that the needs of our community extended well beyond that. By two years end, I was involved in several community projects- managing the construction of a community basketball court, collaborating to improve English education curriculum, and participating in an HIV/AIDS formation bike ride. However, what truly changed the trajectory of my life was the implementation of a girls’ empowerment camp. During the camp, for the first time, not only could I see the message of purpose and meaning seeping into the fabric of our girls, but it was seeping into me, too. As trite as it made sound, a year into my service, after the conclusion of the first girls’ camp, I had a new energy about me—an energy that pushed me toward professional social work.

Soon after my time in Benin ended, I began my graduate education at the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration (SSA). I plan to work in International Social Work, continuing to collaborate with youth across cultures. More specifically, I intend to focus my work on addressing barriers to girls’ education.

Following our first week of introductory planning meetings here in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, I am energized to be working as an intern for the The Transitions Initiative with IOFA, a comprehensive support program for orphaned youth aging out of temporary care. The same inspiration that motivated my work in Benin is present here, too. I am honored and excited to be a member of IOFA and to be here in Addis Ababa working on the Transitions Initiative.

IOFA Launches New Website!!!! www.iofa.org

2011-07-11T13:36:00.000-07:00

IOFA is delighted to announce the launch of our new website. Same address, updated look, and more information about our work around the world.

The IOFA Board and Team would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Christina Zabel of Z Designer, and Victor Young & John Johnson of Happy Zebra Corp for their tireless work and attention to this great new tool for IOFA! We will be launching a large scale summer fundraising campaign in the coming weeks and we couldn't do it without this invaluable upgrade to our website.

Please keep visiting both our blog and the new website for latest IOFA news!

Shelbywww.iofa.org

IOFA Welcomes Loyola Legal Intern, Agnes Zielinksi!

2011-06-21T08:46:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

My name is Agnieszka (Agnes) Zielinski and I am IOFA’s new legal intern. At IOFA, I will be assisting IOFA’s Program Specialist and Attorney, Sehla Ashai, representing victims of trafficking as well as researching a variety of issues in human trafficking in order to contribute to IOFA’s Building Child Welfare Response to Child Trafficking Project. I am very excited about this opportunity as it my chance to learn about the work IOFA has done to combat human trafficking as well as advocate for vulnerable youth.

Currently, I am a second year law student and Civitas ChildLaw fellow at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. My particular focus in law school is child advocacy. My passion for working with children has been a life-long one. I especially became interested child welfare and juvenile justice when I took a class entitled “Sexual Exploitation of Children” during undergrad. This class encouraged me to intern at the Public Defender’s office, teach youth at the juvenile detention center about their legal rights, and pursue a path in child advocacy.

I have only been at IOFA for a couple of weeks, but this position has reinforced my belief that child advocacy is the right path for me. As a child of Polish immigrants, this position truly unites my passion for working with vulnerable youth and my passion for working with immigrants. I hope to use my Polish language skills to reach out to the Polish and Eastern European community. This is an exciting time for me and I look forward to the next few months!

Best,

Agnes

IOFA Welcomes Graduate Intern, Cheryl Winter, to our Chicago Office

2011-06-10T13:31:00.000-07:00

As a frontline for victims of human trafficking, Emergency Department personnel and other health workers may be the first, and in some cases, the only service providers to come into direct contact with victims of human trafficking. Additionally, nearly one third of victims of trafficking, receive medical assistance from healthcare providers and remain unidentified while experiencing exploitation. It is imperative that health professionals be included in capacity building programs that equip providers to better identify and respond to child victims of trafficking.

This summer, we are joined by several interns, who will be assisting us with program outreach, capacity building, research and evaluation. One of these interns is Cheryl Winter, a graduate student from Washington University in Saint Louis, who is working toward dual Masters degrees in Public Health and Social Work. With a background in communications, training facilitation, and evaluation, Cheryl will dedicate her time at IOFA to developing partnerships with hospitals and healthcare providers, identifying gaps in service provision and health provider policies, and adapting training materials for health providers to better identifying and responding to the needs of trafficking victims.

Cheryl reflected on her new position with us saying, "I'm so thankful for the chance to connect with health providers and continue building the capacity of local organizations committed to ending human trafficking and providing services to victims of trafficking. It's inspiring to work on a project that not only has the potential to impact others' lives, but that is so urgently needed. It's a tremendous opportunity to work with IOFA and I'm looking forward to all that I can learn and contribute!"

Youth Leaving Institutions: Trafficking and Exploitation

2011-06-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

In IOFA’s research conducted with 12 Phnom Penh anti-trafficking non-governmental organizations in the summer of 2010, the risk factors of a) poverty, b) prior experience with interpersonal violence, and c) isolation were identified as primary risk factors for trafficking and exploitation. During March 2011, focus groups held with youth who had left orphanage care in Phnom Penh showed highly disproportionate experiences of all three risk factors.

1. Poverty

Nearly all post-care youth interviewed live on less than $1 a day, and many shoulder the responsibility of caring for others while they work exploitative, physically harmful jobs.

One young man described his typical work day beginning at 4 am, and continuing until 9 pm. His feet were swollen and covered in infected sores, from serving in a restaurant. He explains that he first began this job working only for food, until the management trusted him enough to pay him about $30 a month.

Another young man finds himself working 84 hours a week in a paper mill, from 6 pm to 6 am. He, too, is paid $30 a month – ten of which is withheld by his employer for the mandatory sleeping arrangements, a raised wooden platform within the paper mill shared with dozens of other mill employees.

2. History of interpersonal violence

Although the youth were not asked about experiences prior to their leaving orphanage care, many youth chose to share the heart-breaking abuses they had endured within orphanage care or at the hands of their families as children. Several youth reported forced labor and physical violence from the orphanage staff. One young woman reported physical abuse so severe in the orphanage that she ran away, and sought work in restaurants for food. One restaurant took her in – but would not let her leave. There, she was forced to work in their kitchen, and was deprived of both food and pay. After several months of forced labor, she managed to run away again, returning to her home town and begging neighbors to find her extended family to help her, before she was forced to return to the restaurant. Days later, her great aunt came to the restaurant and rescued her from her traffickers.

3. Isolation

Nearly all of the youth interviewed reported extreme isolation, and shared the belief that their communities “hate” them. They expressed deep distress, stating that “if I take a wrong turn, no one will be there to correct me.” The youth reported unanimously that they “have no friends.”

Children in government orphanages are given the surname Rorth, which means “belonging to the

government” in Khmer[1] - a designation that predisposes care leavers for social isolation from their communities. Explained the youth, in their words:

“They [society] treat us like we are not human.”

“Everyone is ready to tell me I am lazy.”

“I feel hopeless and outside of society.”

That this population is at a uniquely high risk for trafficking is reasonably intuitive; children in orphanage care, particularly those who interact with many cycles of volunteer caregivers, are at an exponentially increased risk of forming disorganized attachments[2]^,[3], a developmental problem that prevents them from forming positive social relationships with others. This may manifest itself in the inability to form protective community relationships (shown to prevent trafficking)[4] or, conversely, in indiscriminate affection and trust to everyone[5], including traffickers. Strict authoritarian childcare structures in orphanages preclude youth from developing safe independence and responsibility[6]^,[7],[8].Indeed, a 2007 BBC report described orphanages as “magnets” for traffickers[9].

Perhaps care-leavers are overlooked as a vulnerable population because they are generally educated. However, the youth also reported extreme psychological distress, uncontrollable emotions, and paralyzing fear. Their education is useless without the social skills and communities necessary to use it. A third of Phnom Penh orphanages openly admitted they provide no support whatsoever to youth who leave their care, in a large-scale 2007 study[10]. With an estimated 10,000 children in orphanage care in Cambodia –35% of whom are older than 15⁹ – and a recent, rapid growth of orphanages around the country (up 67% between 2005 and 2008)[11], this problem will only get bigger.

Thanks for reading, and please stay tuned for future blogs! Better yet - follow our blog by signing up on the lower left hand side of your screen!

Susan Rosas

Transitions Initiative Program Manager

[1] Hyland, Anne. 2009, March 12. “It Takes a Village: An American Heiress Aims to Rescue Cambodia by Giving Orphans a Family.” The Wallstreet Journal.

[2] Richter, L. and A. Norman (2007). AIDS orphan tourism: A threat to young children in residential care. Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies 5 (3): 217-229.

[3]Dozier, M. and J. Brick (2007). Changing caregivers: Coping with early adversity. Psychiatric Annals, 37, 411-415.

[4] Sampson, R., Raudenbush, S, & Earls, F. (1997). Neighborhoods and Violent Crime: A Multilevel Study of Collective Efficacy. Science (277), pp. 918-924.

[5] Zeanah, C., Smyke, A., Koga, S., and Carlson, E. (2005). Attachment in institutionalized and community children in Romania. Child Development,76(5):1015-1028.

[6] Wolff, Peter and Gebremeskel Fesseha. 1998. “The Orphans of Eritrea: Are Orphanages Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution?” Am J Psychiatry 155(10):1319-1324.

[7] Cline, F. 1979. “Lack of Attachment in Children.” Nurse Pract 4(35):45

[8] Kaler, S.R. and B.J. Freeman. 1994. “Analysis of Environemntal Deprivation: Cognitive and Social Development in Romanian Orphans.” J Child Psychol Psychiatry 35: 769-781.

[9] Mutch, Thembi (2007). Sex Lies and Audio Tape. British Journalism Review 18(September): 61-65

[10] Project Sky, ICC (unpublished)

[11] Friends International 2010 - http://www.friends-international.org/ourprojects/myth-realities.asp

REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED FOR Advanced Training on Human Trafficking on June 9th in Rockford, Illinois

2011-05-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

Please join The Salvation Army STOP-IT Program and the International Organization for Adolescents for an advanced level training on trauma-informed services and motivational interviewing in the context of serving victims of human trafficking. Learn best practices for working with traumatized and ambivalent clients from featured guest speaker, Dr. Michael Smith. Dr. Smith has been actively engaged in combating human trafficking since joining The Salvation Army six years ago. His clinical background is in working with sexual trauma and sexual offenders. His recent research has focused on trauma-informed services to trafficking survivors.

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.

DATE AND TIME:
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Free Lunch with RSVP at 12:00 pm
Training workshop from 1:00 pm — 4:00 pm

LOCATION:
The Salvation Army
Rockford Temple Corps
500 S Rockford Ave
Rockford, IL 61104

IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS TRAINING OR ABOUT REGISTRATION, CONTACT SEHLA ASHAI AT SASHAI@IOFA.ORG OR AT (312) 857-3452.

IOFA Executive Director, Shelby French, Interviewed on Zonta Women's Community Radio

2011-05-05T10:56:00.000-07:00

IOFA had the wonderful opportunity to share our work and talk about the impact of human trafficking with Zonta Women's Community Radio yesterday via WVOX in New York and the global Zonta network. Zonta International is an international organization of professionals working together to improve the status of women & girls through service and advocacy.

Click hear to listen!

The Building Child Welfare Response to Child Trafficking Handbook is here!

2011-05-04T08:16:00.000-07:00

IOFA is thrilled to announce the release of its ground-breaking publication, the Building Child Welfare Response to Child Trafficking Handbook! Special thanks go out to the Chicago Community Trust for its generous support and to the Loyola University Center for the Human Rights of Children (CHRC).

The handbook is a critical tool that forms part of IOFA and CHRC's joint initiative to train and prepare child protection and child welfare organizations to identify and receive child trafficking victims. While the criminal justice system has been targeted nationwide for intensive training and capacity building in human trafficking investigations, child protection and child welfare agencies have been unprepared to receive these victims, resulting in a critical gap in the identification of victims and provision of services.

This comprehensive guide seeks to fill that gap by providing invaluable information and resources to child protection and child welfare workers who seek to serve child trafficking victims within their governmental or non-governmental agencies. IOFA and CHRC also builds agencies' capacity to serve child trafficking victims through the provision of training, technical assistance, and detailed review of existing training programs, policies and procedures within existing child protection frameworks.

We welcome any and all feedback on the handbook, and if you would like to learn more about how IOFA can assist you agency in the development of effective responses to child trafficking, please contact us!

IOFA's research featured in PenhPal

2011-05-02T10:25:00.000-07:00

IOFA was asked to submit an article to the Cambodian online news source, PenhPal, to highlight our recent research. Visit http://www.penhpal.com/ngos/cambodian-youth-leaving-orphanage-care/. We are excited about and committed to building awareness on this issue - please share the link and help us in our efforts.

Susan Rosas
Program Development Intern

Youth Leaving Orphanage Care: The Severed Family Connection

2011-04-15T11:15:00.000-07:00

During our interviews, we asked 27 youth the question, “What can you tell me about your experiences after you left the orphanage?”

In response to this question alone, 8 young people reported returning to family’s homes after their exit from care. Six out of these eight young people stated they felt out of place in their family’s homes, or like their relatives “had their own family” to care for.

In their words:

· “…[I] wake up early in the morning, no time to sleep at night. If don’t do the work [my family] tells me to do, I regret it…I need to run away from this house.”

· “They had their own family and didn’t treat me like their child.”

· “Sometimes I can’t leave [the house], because for transportation I can only go with my auntie’s children when they let me and they feel resentful.”

· “I did not belong there in [my family’s] place.”

10 other youth reported contacting their families when they left, but being unable to return home to them or receive support.

· “They can’t help because they have their own family.”

· “[My family] live in Svey Rieng. I visited them once, but will not visit again.”

Still others reported an entirely severed connection:

· “I know where my family is in Takeo. When I was little they used to visit me in the orphanage. Now they don’t visit.”

· “My family lives in Svey Rieng, but I have never been back.”

· “I have no contact with my family.”

A recent study showed merely 28% of youth in Cambodian orphanage care are parentless[1]. In 2003, a study showed that families place their children in orphanage care primarily for the educational benefits, but families complained that they were either not permitted to visit their children once they were in care, or that the orphanage was so far from their homes they could not afford to visit[2]. In this same study, children in orphanage care frequently reported missing their families.

The damage to – or, in many cases, severance of – family ties has grim implications for youth when they leave orphanage care. Indeed, in nearly every culture, some dependence on family during adolescence and young adulthood (and beyond) is expected and often encouraged. This is particularly true in Cambodia, where family is generally upheld as a person’s primary responsibility and source of social support. A recent ethnographic study in Cambodia showed that a person’s family networks “help each other in whatever way they can, providing food, labour exchanges, moral support and, when possible, financial assistance…”[3].

As said by one of the youth interviewed: “Even if you have a good education, you can’t get a job without a network.”

According to a study conducted by our Phnom Penh partner, Project Sky, two-thirds of the more than 300 youth interviewed (who were still living in an orphanage) have some contact with relatives. Nearly half of these youth wish to live with their relatives when they leave the center. Importantly, of the one-third who are not in contact with relatives, 20% want to live with them.

To some extent, it can be expected that the transition from orphanage care into a family home may be wrought with complications. The youth in an orphanage have been deprived of any responsibility for sometimes decades, have not learned basic house hold chores or agricultural skills, and have been raised in an oasis of Western-infused childcare, stripped of Cambodian culture. Their ability to function as a member of Cambodian society has been deeply impaired by their separation from society, which may only exacerbate the anticipated difficulty in rebuilding familial relationships upon reintegration.

Furthermore, youth raised in an orphanage are likely to exhibit the characteristics frequently associated with institutionalization around the world, including difficulty regulating emotions and building social relationships, cognitive limitations, severe psychological distress, and (culturally inappropriate) indiscriminate affection. We are asking youth who have been systematically disadvantaged to rely entirely on an education, devoid of necessary social skills, to independently reconstruct familial relationships with almost complete strangers in an environment likely already strained by poverty.

Youth around the world rely on family for any number of benefits, including protection. It is without question that by destroying family relationships, orphanages have gravely, if inadvertently, compromised the safety and on-going well-being of the youth who leave their care.

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more blogs about our research.

- Susan Rosas
Program Development Intern

[1] *Worley, Mark. “In Orphanages, Only 28% Are Parentless.” The Cambodia Daily. March 21, 2011.

[2] Nakajima, Misako. (2003). Orphans in Cambodia: a case study of families and children in a public orphanage. Capstone Project. Brattleboro: School for International Training.

[3] Gartrell, Alexandra(2010) ''A frog in a well': the exclusion of disabled people from work in Cambodia', Disability & Society, 25: 3, 289 — 301 (296)

In the Field: Understanding the Extreme Vulnerability of Youth Leaving Orphanages in Cambodia

2011-03-28T14:27:00.000-07:00

In their words: Youth describe their transition from orphanage care

IOFA determined last summer that youth still in orphanage care in and around Phnom Penh, Cambodia presented “risk factors” that suggested they would be vulnerable to exploitation, violence, drug use, and other dangerous trajectories upon their exit from care. This March, we returned to Cambodia to find youth and young adults who had already left orphanage care. We aimed to learn about their experiences and begin to understand general trajectories for care leavers, to determine whether they are indeed vulnerable, and if so, what kinds of services might support them.

The following series of blog entries will describe trends we observed among youth who leave care, based on focus groups and individual interviews held with 27 care leavers, aged 14 to 29. Each of the most prominent trends will be detailed in future entries:

Severed family connections

Exploitation and trafficking

Extreme poverty and homelessness

The cycle of dependency

Severe emotional distress

Drug addiction

The impact of institutionalization and options for change

It has been a very busy, emotionally draining trip. We are honored that so many youth were willing to share their experiences with us, and feel confident that as we build awareness about the dangerous outcomes of institutionalizing children, that those working in child welfare may begin to assess their practices and consider ways in which they may protect children and youth from such trajectories.

In the meantime, we are collaborating with youth and partner agencies in Cambodia to design the desperately needed transitional services, and are diligently fund raising to ensure we can implement these emergency services as soon as possible.

Youth who leave orphanage care are forgotten. They have been told by foreign volunteers that they will be doctors if they work hard enough, sponsors from afar don’t know that 72%* of institutionalized children and youth in Cambodia have living parents who were simply too poor to care for them. We promised them better lives, and we have merely delayed and exacerbated their vulnerability.

Please stay tuned and share our future blogs. With your help, we can bring this tragic problem to light – change is feasible, and IOFA is motivated to initiate it.

- Susan Rosas, Program Development Intern

*Worley, Mark. “In Orphanages, Only 28% Are Parentless.” The Cambodia Daily. March 21, 2011.

Direct youth participation in program design

Improving the Wyden Bill – Proactive Protection of Vulnerable Youth

2011-03-22T12:57:00.000-07:00

On March 16, Senators Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) reintroduced an important bill that aims to provide resources to combat sex trafficking of minors. The Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking and Victims Support Act (S.596) would provide funding for law enforcement training and for services for victims. The proposed legislation is the 2011 version of a bill that passed both houses of Congress with strong bipartisan support in December 2010, but did not become law because it was not passed in time to reconcile differences in the House and Senate versions before the end of the 111th Congress.

The legislation, if passed, would support and reinforce IOFA’s work in several critical ways. As the actress Mira Sorvino pointed out in a speech that she gave in support of the bill,

(http://www.youtube.com/senronwyden#p/a/u/1/PUyPrDhSUzM)

it recognizes that minors involved in commercial sexual exploitation are, by definition, victims of trafficking, not criminals.

IOFA has taken a leadership role in the implementation of the Illinois Safe Children Act, which was signed into law in August 2010 and mirrors the proposed federal legislation in removing the criminal status of juvenile prostitution. As part of this effort, IOFA is advocating for the development of a coordinated service referral network that would link service providers and trafficking victims. IOFA also provides training to Illinois law enforcement on how to identify trafficking victims and handle cases of suspected trafficking. The legislation would tackle these issues on a national level by providing grants to fund similar efforts, as well as creating shelters for trafficking victims, at six sites across the country.

Despite these valuable provisions, however, more work is needed to draft policies that address the causes, not just the outcomes, of trafficking. In a statement introducing the bill, Sen. Wyden said of trafficking in the U.S.: “The reason that this crime has reached epidemic proportions is simple: the resources are not in place to help innocent victims escape from trafficking, nor to punish the violent, ruthless pimps who are trafficking them.” This assessment of the problem reflects the bill’s approach to trafficking, which is to focus on issues associated with existing trafficking cases. Service provision is of critical importance for current victims, but it does not prevent the creation of new victims. And while law enforcement training is essential, Wyden framed its primary purpose as enabling officers to work with victims to build strong criminal cases against traffickers. Wyden suggested that doing so would have a deterrent effect on traffickers who, he said, “have figured out that trafficking a person is a lot less risky, and just as profitable, as trafficking drugs.” The bill’s approach to the issue is thus to focus on existing instances of trafficking, rather than directly seeking to protect minors from becoming victims in the first place.

IOFA believes that it is necessary to go a step beyond this, taking a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to the problem of trafficking. We argue that trafficking can be effectively reduced by identifying youth who are vulnerable to exploitation and working to minimize those vulnerabilities. We’re in the midst of researching and writing a report, “The State of the World’s Vulnerable Youth,” that will have much more information on the factors that contribute to vulnerability as well as suggestions on possible policy responses that take a preventative approach to trafficking.

So if you’re interested in learning more about these issues, please check back in and read the report to be released in Summer 2011!

Charlotte Cahill

IOFA Resource Development & Policy Intern

What do Maria Sharapova, Emmanuel Adebayor, and the Princess of Belgium Have in Common with IOFA's Leadership?

2011-03-08T15:02:00.000-08:00

All are highlighted in UNICEF's 2011 State of the World's Children Report online Perspectives feature!

IOFA Co-Founder and President, Alison Boak and Executive Director, Shelby French co-wrote an article entitled Navigating the Road to Adulthood: The Experiences of Parentless Youth. IOFA was honored to be invited by UNICEF to contribute to this project and will be advocating and developing critical support systems for youth leaving or aging out of alternative care over the coming years.

http://www.unicef.org/sowc2011/boakfrench.php

Currently, IOFA ED, Shelby French is in Cambodia meeting with dozens of organizations and young people who are affected by this issue. IOFA is leading two half day summits with potential partners about IOFA's Transitions Initiative and the experiences of youth leaving care in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Additionally, IOFA's Program Development Intern, Susan Rosas will be organizing focus groups with young adults who have already left care to hear their experiences and to determine how we can help future groups of young people going through this treacherous process.

Please visit IOFA Talk for updates from Susan in our "In the Field" series to be posted in the coming weeks. IOFA strongly believes that the issue of youth leaving care is a critical one that needs more attention. We are dedicated to this issue and we welcome your support!

Young Adult Sets Self on Fire: Last Desperate Attempt to Express Himself

2011-01-12T10:22:00.000-08:00

Youth riots in Tunisia bring to the world’s attention the danger of boredom and oppression, and the intrepid nature of youth culture to instigate change. The riots, caused by mass youth unemployment, increased in intensity when a young adult fatally set himself on fire – his last desperate attempt to earn an income (selling fruits and vegetables) was apparently thwarted by police, who confiscated his produce and demanded a permit that he did not have (see Associated Press article, link below).

The drastic measures and risk-taking associated with adolescence (albeit extreme in this instance) is to some extent biological – some suggest that the adolescent brain experiences a reduced “reward sensitivity” function, perhaps due to underdeveloped mesolimbic neural circuits, pushing adolescents to seek higher stimulation via risks (Crews, 2007; Spear, 2000); others suggest that an underdeveloped prefrontal cortex in adolescents reduces the brain’s inhibition function, which may lead to risk-taking (Keating, 2004).

Biology aside, these events show us, if nothing else, the importance of youth involvement in society, the economy, politics – this is an age group with dreams and aspirations, and the capacity to strive toward them. They can be powerful advocates for what is just, and the violence interwoven within these protests signifies the lack of legitimate venue by which their voices can be heard and injustices addressed. In the cloud of violence, we mustn’t forget that adolescents are our greatest hope for progress – their opinions need and deserve the channels through which to be heard.

- Susan Rosas, Program Development Intern

Associated Press. Unrest over unemployment spreads in Tunisia (January 11, 2011). http://www.npr.org/2011/01/11/132837713/unrest-over-unemployment-spreads-in-tunisia

Crews F., He J., Hodge C. (2007). Adolescent cortical development: A critical period of vulnerability for addiction. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior: Adolescents, drug abuse and mental disorders.Vol.86, Issue 2, February 2007, p.196

Spear (2000). The adolescent brain and age-related behavioral manifestations. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews 24(2000) 417-463

Keating D. (2004). Cognitive and brain development. Handbook of adolescent psychology. 2nd ed.; 2004. p 45-84.

Welcome to Charlotte Cahill - IOFA Resource Development and Policy Intern!

2011-01-10T11:53:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

I’m Charlotte Cahill, IOFA’s new Resource Development and Policy intern. I’m very excited about this opportunity to learn more about the work IOFA is doing to fight trafficking and advocate for vulnerable adolescents. And, I hope, to make a contribution to that work!

I’m especially enthusiastic about being at IOFA because, while its mission really resonates with me, I took a rather roundabout route here. I recently completed a PhD in the history of American politics, public policy, and foreign relations at Northwestern University, and am still teaching classes there in history and international studies. In addition, I decided that I would like to work with an organization that was more directly involved in the rights-based work on which I so often lecture my students. In fact, my decision to study the history of foreign policy in graduate school came partly out of my longstanding interest in international child welfare. That interest began with my family’s experience of adopting internationally and was further encouraged by the time I spent volunteering at two shelters for street children in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. One of my roles was to teach English to the children and youth in the shelter program; many of them hoped to learn enough English to secure jobs in Vietnam’s tourism industry. It was an experience that left me deeply worried about the limited opportunities for youth and children around the world who lack family and community support. So I feel a personal connection to IOFA’s commitment to developing solutions to issues that affect vulnerable adolescents.

I’ve only been at IOFA for a few weeks, but I’ve already managed to get myself involved in several exciting research projects. I spent much of the last week researching laws and policies regulating NGO activities in locations in which IOFA is thinking about establishing its new Transitions Program for youth who are “aging out” of care. I’m also compiling a list of similar projects (which is very short so far!) and assessing what components of transition programs other organizations have identified as significant. My third project is a bit overwhelming: I’m researching the rather large topic of international and national human rights, welfare, and development policies that affect youth around the world. I hope to have this research done by the end of January so that we can include it in IOFA’s Report on the State of the World’s Vulnerable Youth. Please wish me luck!

Best,

Charlotte

IOFA End of the Year Call for Help!!!!

2010-12-22T09:43:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of year again. Our mail boxes fill up with holiday appeals from dozens of organizations. How do you make the decision about where to invest your resources? Simply put, you need to believe in the work and trust the organization, implicitly. Obviously, we are asking you to invest in the International Organization for Adolescents (IOFA). But first, we want to build your trust and explain our work.

Why give to IOFA?

· The growing epidemic of human trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable young people around the world.

· Our dedication to finding solutions for the most vulnerable and at risk: orphaned youth aging out of care, youth living in areas of conflict, young people from minority or indigenous groups, young people living in extreme poverty.

· Our decade plus of experience and achievements – more than 35 direct service and research projects designed and implemented, work in over 20 countries, more than 8,000 youth reached, more than 6000 law enforcement, legal, and social service professionals trained.

· Our commitment to effective and streamlined operations - You don’t have to be big to have a large impact!

· Our dedication to local partnership and grassroots collaboration.

Where are we going?

In our second decade of service, IOFA is launching a new strategic plan that will expand our scope of work, build off our past achievements, and create innovative solutions to the most critical issues faced by vulnerable young people. The focus will be on two core projects:

The Project for the Prevention of Adolescent Trafficking (PPAT) – a multi-disciplinary effort that organizes community-based organizations to build strong protections and response mechanisms for young people at greatest risk for human trafficking, and sexual and labor exploitation.

The Transitions Project - a comprehensive and multifaceted support program for young people aging out of orphanages and institutions.

Our goal for the next three years is to reach tens of thousands of young people at greatest risk through both these projects. We are currently collaborating with partners in Ethiopia and Cambodia, and are working tirelessly to launch both project models in those countries in 2011. Our target fundraising goal for these two projects and our total strategic plan is $300,000. Yikes. Seems like a lot. But with your help we can reach this goal!

What can you do to help?

1. Choose IOFA as your end of year donation. If 200 of our supporters gave $100, we would raise $20,000 and enable phase one of The Transitions Project in Cambodia and Ethiopia.

2. Increase your gift from last year. We all know money is tight but if you gave $50 why not $75?

3. Contribute to our Investment in Global Youth Fund (IVY). By becoming a monthly or quarterly donor to IOFA, you will help ensure that IOFA can continue critical anti-trafficking and youth support work in Chicago, New York, and around the world.

4. Follow IOFA’s work and impact at our website (http://www.iofa.org/ – new site to be launched Winter2010) and blog for all current IOFA info (http://www.iofa-talk.blogspot.com/).

IOFA is growing. We are one of the few organizations that focus specifically on the most vulnerable within this age group, particularly in the developing world. We are being called upon by agencies and organizations in the United States and around the world to help protect and respond to young people in crisis. We can only do this with your help. We hope you will continue to support our work and invest in our efforts.

Please go to our website – www.iofa.org – and make an online donation today!

Thanks!
Shelby, ED

IOFA's New Program Specialist - Sehla Ashai

2010-11-30T10:19:00.000-08:00

Hello all,

My name is Sehla Ashai, and I am thrilled to begin my second week of work at IOFA as a Program Specialist, where I will be working primarily on human trafficking issues.

My interest in human trafficking began as an attorney representing victims of trafficking in immigration matters, which resonated strongly with my long-standing interests in gendered violence and labor exploitation. At IOFA, I will be building on my experience representing victims, and I will provide technical assistance to the new Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force, and contribute to IOFA's Building Child Welfare Response to Child Trafficking Project.

Before working as an immigration attorney, I was a labor organizer for Chicago area taxi drivers, clerked for a judge in Ann Arbor, was a research fellow in Kashmir, interned at a domestic violence shelter in Pakistan, and taught summer school in Baltimore City. Before I joined IOFA, I was also a legal consultant to a non-profit in Haiti working on child trafficking issues. These varied experiences reinforced my passion for social justice work and confirmed my love for working with youth, both domestically and abroad.

Although IOFA is more than a decade old, the organization is at an exciting stage with a new, visionary strategic plan, and I feel incredibly privileged to join at this juncture. Much of my work will involve reaching out to community organizations, law enforcement, and other players who are involved in the fight against human trafficking, so expect to hear from me soon!

Best,

Sehla

Call to Action to Combat Child and Adolescent Sex Trafficking

2010-11-17T13:26:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

Please see a call to action from ECPAT - End Child Prostitution and Trafficking - to support passage of a bill to combat child and adolescent trafficking, a core issue of IOFA's work. IOFA is helping to implement the new Illinois Safe Children's Act that decriminalizes minors involved with the sex prostitution. It's difficult to imagine but before this law, a 15 year girl forced into prostitution in Chicago would be charged in juvenile court and not seen as a victim. It's through this legislation and the proposed bill described below that the US can better confront the problem of child trafficking and provide adequate response and support to its young victims.

Please take the time to make this call or sign the petition today!

From ECPAT:

We are gearing up for our Nov 17th National (Call-In) Day of Action to help pass HR 5575, the "Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence and Victims Support Act of 2010," to support young sex trafficking survivors and combat and address the sex trafficking of children across America. You can read a summary here: http://www.ecpatusa.org/EcpatUSA_PDF/HR5575Summary.pdf

In the United States, there are less than 100 beds in shelters prepared to provide assistance to child victims of sex trafficking. Yet an estimated 100,000 children are exploited in prostitution each year in this country.

If passed, HR 5575 would provide much needed funds for therapeutic services. It would also increase resources for law enforcement to arrest and prosecute the traffickers and predators that victimize our children.

Taking action and being a part of our National (Call-In) Day of Action on11.17 is as easy as 1,2,3

1. Find your member of Congress by going to http://www.house.gov/ and entering your complete zip code in the top left “Find Your Representative” section.

2. Call the House operator at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected with your representative's office. Once connected to your rep's office, urge them to support and pass H.R 5575. A sample call script is below:

"Hi, my name is________ , and I am a constituent living in [town/city]. I'm calling to urge Congress(woman/man)______ to co-sponsor and support H.R.5575, a bi-partisan bill that seeks to combat and address the sex trafficking of children in America. I am very concerned about this issue because despite the tens of thousands of victims who need help, only a handful of shelters and services exist to address their intensive needs. It's time for Congress to act. Will the Congress(woman/man) co-sponsor and support this important legislation?"

3. Be Counted! Sign our tracking petition here (http://tiny.cc/toirj so we can track our impact!

Taking action on Nov 17 will take less than 5 minutes but our collective action can give thousands of young sex trafficking victims across the U.S. the care and support they need and deserve.

The National Day of Action is being sponsored by the National Coalition to End Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (partial list): A Future. Not A Past., ECPAT-USA, Polaris Project, Rebecca Project, Shared Hope International and Women's Funding Network.

The option to boomerang?

2010-11-11T07:54:00.000-08:00

As IOFA continues its work to help transition youth from orphanage care, we are asking important, difficult questions about the factors influencing successful transitions to adulthood. IOFA is in the process of designing “The Transitions Project”, a multi-faceted and sustainable support project for young people from this highly vulnerable population. The following entry is the first in a series of discussions about methods of intervention and the best ways we can help our youth transition safely.

Today’s topic: Does a college degree mean independence?

Google “boomerang kids” and see what comes up: articles titled, “Hi mom…I’m back!” and “Why grown kids come home,” fill the page. The term describes the ever-growing population of young adults who return to their parents for housing; Twentysomething Inc, a research firm in Philadelphia, tells us 85% of college graduates move back to their parents’ after graduation. Many fingers point to the economy and sky-high rent prices, to insurmountable debt incurred by rising tuition costs.

It’s interesting, then, that the world seems to view a college education as the ultimate step toward independence. If any efforts are poured into helping youth to transition from child welfare systems, college admission is typically at the forefront of programmatic goals. This is particularly noticeable in developing countries with a large Western NGO presence. Is this because university admission is a concrete, measurable success? “Independent living skills” are far more vague and difficult to identify than an acceptance letter or a transcript.

While many champion the need for college, some child welfare groups in Cambodia express frustration that university admission is the primary target for Western-funded orphanages. Kids often enter care with nutritional deficits, many years behind in school, or with traumatic life experiences, and they often face substantial education delays. Entering an environment where college attendance is touted may be inspiring for some, but unrealistic and damaging for others – particularly if the resources for tuition are not dependable. In one orphanage I interviewed in a rural Cambodian province, youth aged 17 were in primary school, were poised to leave orphanage care in one year, and had no plans for future independent living except for medical or law school. The same orphanage reports its graduated youth to have experienced dire fates: labor trafficking, forced marriage, gang enrollment.

Should we strive to make university available to our most vulnerable youth? Of course. Should it be the crux of a plan for independence? Just as university does not equate to independent adulthood in the U.S., we need to consider other ways that will promote safe, happy, and healthy independence. Most youth leaving child welfare systems just don’t have the option to be “boomerang kids.”

Trainings, Trainings, and More Trainings! Help!

2010-10-22T13:04:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

We've been neck deep in trainings these past two weeks with more on the way!

Why do we do so many trainings? (I ask myself quietly, as I wake up at 7am to haul my Suburu out to yet another trafficking seminar in a far flung spot in Illinois)

I have to be honest, trainings wear me out. Physically. At this age, it's not from nerves. I'm passionate about the topic and the work that we do, so as a result my body temperature seems to involuntarily shoot through the roof at the podium. I tend to look like I ran a marathon by the end of it all or like Shelly Duvall after being chased by Jack Nicholson in the Shining. Worth it? Absolutely. Plus I tend to lose a couple of pounds to boot. Here I am this week training a group of law enforcement professionals. Can you see the beads of sweat?

At almost every training, we see a definite change in how people perceive the problem of human trafficking.  IOFA conducts both pre and post training surveys, and inevitably there is a significant percentage increase in participants who believe they have come in contact with a victim of trafficking in some way or another - after they learn what trafficking and victims actually look like. It's a very powerful process that changes perspectives and ultimately saves lives.

That's why we train. That's why I heat up.

Recent Training Updates...

Last Thursday, October 14, IOFA trained over 30 victim witness advocates at the 2010 State of Illinois Prosecutor-Based Victim Advocate Association annual conference in Moline, Illinois. Victim witness advocates are extremely important in the effort to identify trafficking cases.  Their purpose is to provide services and support to victims of crime involved with prosecution of a case. Many victims of human trafficking are often discovered through the investigation and prosecution of other types of crimes including domestic violence, immigration disputes, sexual assuault, etc.  Victim witness advocates are critical to identiyfing a potential trafficking victim and getting them the appropriate services and assistance. The group was attentive and very interested in the topic, many indicating after the training that they now realize they had encountered potential victims of trafficking and could have provided even more assistance to these individuals, if only they knew then what they learned that day.

On Wednesday, October 20th, IOFA launched the first of six training seminars for law enforcement about identifying and responding to human trafficking from the law enforcement perspective. The trainings are being conducted through Mobile Training Units (MTUs) across the state. IOFA is helping to develop and deliver these trainings in coordination with the Illinois Rescue and Restore Coalition http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=31332.  and Sgt. Carla Crubisic from the Chicago Police Department. The first seminar was held in Schaumberg, Illinois and included participants from surrounding precincts in the northeastern areas of the state.

I tell you, it's a difficult sell sometimes to get overworked law enforcement, social service, and legal professionals to be open to taking on yet another social problem. But when they hear the scope, and the consequences, particuarly to young trafficking victims, there is always a passionate interest and desire to know more.

Have a great weekend. More trainings next week. Next week's blog topic: "Aren't Adolescents (aka Teenagers) Really Annoying?" A sneak peek answer: yes and no.

Shelby
ED

Hello from IOFA's new intern!

2010-10-07T14:31:00.000-07:00

I’d like to introduce myself as the new intern at IOFA! I’m so excited to see IOFA’s work and to participate in their innovation. My interest in serving vulnerable adolescents has developed over a number of life experiences and jobs – perhaps most importantly, my family adopted internationally, so I have always been very connected to international child welfare issues and interested in child welfare systems, both locally and abroad. Work has carried me from helping to transition youth to independence from foster care in Miami and the Bronx – which exposed me to trends and terrifying prospects faced by youth in American foster care – to working in international adoption in New York. It was this experience at an adoption agency that inspired me to wonder, then research, and then worry fervently, “What happens to the youth in alternative care internationally who are not adopted? How do they fare?” I traveled to Kenya with these questions, working with adolescents “aging out” of orphanage care in rural Ngong, and was deeply troubled by the barriers and dangers they faced, and frustrated by the dearth of published research and support provided to this population. I enrolled at the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago, and have just returned from Cambodia researching this very issue, about which I have become so impassioned. It is clear to me that adolescents face unique and complex issues that so few social service agencies are equipped to address, and I am thrilled to find IOFA as a tailored expert in protecting this population from trafficking and exploitation. I am excited to be a part of IOFA’s continually expanding project base both domestically and internationally, as the support to vulnerable adolescents is such an important need with such little international attention. I’m sure I’ll be back soon with updates – thanks for reading!

Susan Rosas

Conference Recap; Cook County State's Attorney, Anita Alvarez Announces Partnership with IOFA

2010-10-04T08:37:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Thanks to all of you who attended last weeks Child Trafficking Conference at Loyola University and for attending the IOFA-related presentations and events. I had the wonderful opportunity to speak about the Building Child Welfare Response to Child Trafficking project with our partner, Katherine Kaufka Walts at the Center for the Human Rights of Children at Loyola University. As mentioned, The purpose of the project is to address systemic gaps in policies, protocols, and practice for proper identification and response to child and youth victims of trafficking within child welfare systems. Our first implementing partner was the Illinois Department for Child and Family Services and we have received a continuation grant of $37,000 from the Chicago Community Trust for meeting the final project outcomes.

IOFA and CHRC will publish a monograph outlining the BCWR project in October 2010. It will be available online and by order via CHRC. Be on the look out for an upcoming announcement on how to order and access copies.

We had a slight change of plans for the evening film event. Guy Jacobson had to return to Israel for a family medical emergency. In his place, we screened his latest documentary, Redlight, in it's entirety. Around 50 people showed up for the event, with a good cross section of professionals, students, and the general public. We will be talking about the film on the blog in the near future, particularly about the use of children in films where they are required to talk about traumatic experiences without protection of their identities. The film was very intense and the audience was very overwhelmed by the end of it. If you attended the event, we welcome feedback on your experience, what you thought of who participated in the film, and any other issues related to the content. A beautifully filmed piece that begs further discussion.

Finally, IOFA is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Cook County State's Attorney's office and the Salvation Army, in support of the new Enhanced Collaborative Model to Combat Human Trafficking Grant funded by the Office of Victims of Crime at the Department of Justice. IOFA will be supporting these two organizations in facilitation of the grant and will help to develop and manage a county-wide anti-trafficking task force. For 10 years, IOFA has built collaborative and interdisciplinary task forces in the US and around the world for the purposes of better victim identification, response, and prosecution of human trafficking cases. As the key note speaker, Cook County State Attorney, Anita Alvarez announced the partnership with IOFA and the Salvation Army during her opening remarks on day one of the conference. We will bring on a new staff person to serve as our IOFA Program Specialist to help both partners implement the project in the coming years. Very exciting news. We'll be officially announcing the details of this new project in the coming weeks.

Stay tuned to IOFA-Talk to learn more about our new strategic plan, upcoming projects, and new staff and interns coming on board!

Shelby
ED, IOFA

IOFA at the National Child Trafficking and Exploitation Conference, Loyola University

2010-09-20T07:56:00.000-07:00

Greetings,

We are excited to announce that IOFA will be presenting at this week's National Child Trafficking and Exploitation Conference at Loyola University (Water Tower Campus), Chicago, Illinois, September 22-23rd.

http://www.luc.edu/chrc/Child_Trafficking_an.shtml

The Center for the Human Rights of Children (CHRC) at Loyola University is organizing the conference. Shelby French, Executive Director will be speaking on a panel about the Building Child Welfare Response to Child Trafficking project at 1:30pm, Wednesday, September 22nd. The Building Child Welfare Response project is a collaborative effort between IOFA and CHRC, and the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services. The purpose of the project is to address systemic gaps in policies, protocols, and practice for proper identification and response to child and youth victims of trafficking. IOFA and CHRC will be publishing a monograph outlining the project in October 2010. This is a very exciting and ground breaking effort. To date, there has been little state or federal effort to integrate protective and response mechanisms in state or private child welfare organizations for child and youth victims of trafficking. We hope to replicate this project in other states and with other child-focused organizations nationally and globally.

We'll be talking more about the importance and the impact of this project in the future here at IOFA-Talk!

Additionally at this week's conference, IOFA will be co-sponsoring a free evening film event focusing on child trafficking and exploitation in Cambodia. Following are details for the event:

"Redlight" and "Holly"

Film Excerpts and Commentary from Award Winning Director, Guy Jacobson

6:30-8pm,

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Loyola University, Water Tower Campus

23 E. Pearson

Chicago, IL

This event is free and open to the public

Hope to see you all there!

Shelby
ED, IOFA

Welcome to IOFA Talk!

2010-09-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

The International Organization for Adolescents welcomes you to IOFA Talk! We are very excited about getting this new endeavor started. We invite all visitors to join us in our efforts to support vulnerable young people around the world.

IOFA Talk will focus on:

New IOFA projects and campaigns
Emerging and critical problems faced by vulnerable youth world wide
Voices of professionals and key stakeholders in the protection of vulnerable youth
Responding to questions and concerns from our supporters
The voices of youth themselves; giving our project participants an opportunity to share their experiences

Last year IOFA celebrated it's 10th anniversary. As we emerge into our second decade, we are going through a process of reinvigoration and renewal. Activities coming up in the next few months include:

A new 3 year strategic plan for the organization
A newly designed website and blog
Announcements of new partnerships and areas of focus
A renewed fundraising and outreach campaign
And results and outcomes of our current efforts and ongoing projects

We invite you to visit, comment, and contribute.

The mission of IOFA is to improve the lives of young people by addressing critical and emerging issues affecting vulnerable adolescents around the world. IOFA envisions a world where adolescents and youth are no longer subject to exploitation, violence and neglect; a world where every young person is able to exercise their human rights and realize their full potential as positive and productive members of society.

We strongly believe that this new avenue of communication will support our mission and help us achieve our vision.

Looking forward to hearing from all of you!

Shelby French
Executive Director
IOFA
http://www.iofa.org/
http://www.iofa-talk.blogspot.com/