Practice Online Safety

Build Trust

Customized Training

Professionals who work with youth are uniquely positioned to intervene and create safe spaces for youth. Outside of school, there are multiple professionals that may come into contact with high-risk youth who are being trafficked or are currently experiencing exploitation. There are many layers of training and policy to navigate and intervene in keeping youth safe. Ho‘ōla Nā Pua provides professional training to a broad range of adults who interface with youth at critical points of intervention. These include healthcare workers, law enforcement, military personnel, social workers, and tourism industry professionals.

Each of these professionals may have the opportunity to intervene at a critical juncture; a healthcare worker seeing a child with injuries sustained from abuse and exploitation; an officer who is called to a scene where an adult speaks on behalf of a child that may be a victim; a front desk hotel employee who books a room for a guest who pays cash and seems to be controlling a youth who looks scared.

Each training is customized and provides foundational understanding of the issue and appropriate trauma-informed response. The training material, although all thoroughly rooted in research and best practices, is adapted to fit the audience members’ role in helping to stop trafficking.

Trainings include:

• An explanation of the definition of sex trafficking
• Prevalence nationally and locally
• Who is vulnerable
• The economics of the commercial sexual exploitation
• Impact of trafficking
• Identification
• Warning signs
• Response
• Prevention

Trainings are developed so trainees understand their sector’s role in the community response. Ho‘ōla Nā Pua works closely with law enforcement partners to provide these professional trainings. We believe it is important to equip individuals with knowledge and practical skills to appropriately take action when they suspect trafficking in the community. Everyone in our community plays a role in ending the exploitation of our children.

We also recommend webinars Trauma-Informed Care, and Understanding CSEC Trauma

For Teachers

School settings provide the opportunity to promote and support the healthy development of children. Ho‘ōla Nā Pua delivers presentations as part of a class curriculum about the dangers of sex trafficking.

Presentations fulfill two goals:

As teachers, you promote academic success and nurture the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of your students.

By providing educational presentations, which encourage safe and healthy behaviors, youth are more likely to be safe and less likely to experience academic difficulties.

Ho‘ōla Nā Pua In-Class Presentations Answer The Following Questions:

• What is sex trafficking?
• Who is at risk?
• Why is it common in Hawai‘i?
• What are the warning signs?
• What are the dangers of social media, online gaming, and the internet?
• How can I get help for myself or somebody else?

After attending presentations, 89% of students stated confidence they can recognize warning signs; 91% understood people can be recruited off of social media and gaming, and 91% now know who to contact for help.

We have curriculum available for 5th grade through 12th grade.

To request a presentation for your students or school community, please contact:
Tim Hitchens, MSW, Education Program Manager at eric.madden@hoolanapua.org.