An Albanian man bravely accepted support to leave exploitation after Hope for Justice raised awareness about modern slavery at a church in Leicester.
It follows an evangelistic event, entitled ‘Modern slavery, God and me’, organised by Holy Trinity Church, at which one of our volunteers was invited to speak.
Just a few weeks after the event, we learned that an NHS worker who attended the session had identified a potential victim of modern slavery.
The NHS worker reported the suspected modern slavery case to the police, and an Albanian man was supported to exit exploitation. Officers referred him into the National Referral Mechanism – the UK Government’s framework for formally identifying and providing support to victims of modern slavery. He was provided with emergency accommodation at a hotel.
The church-run event in September was aimed at educating the community around modern slavery. A number of individuals were invited to sit on a panel to speak at the church in Upper King Street, south of Leicester city centre.
The church website described the event as “an encouraging and thought-provoking evening with short presentations and opportunity to interact with others”.
Three of our staff members attended the event to run a stall and distribute leaflets. They engaged with about 100 people by educating them and raising awareness of modern slavery. They also spoke with attendees about how to spot the signs of exploitation and how to provide the right support.
One of our Community Engagement Specialists said: “It was a fantastic event that gave members of the public the chance to learn more about modern slavery, including the different types and how it presents. One of the speakers was a Hope for Justice volunteer who is very passionate about the cause.
“We’re really pleased that the information that was shared has led to a victim being identified and placed on a pathway to receive support. The church’s enthusiasm is brilliant. It’s wonderful that they were able to get this person the help they needed. We are looking forward to working alongside Holy Trinity Church in the future with the hope of securing more outcomes like this.”
Hope for Justice delivers accredited training to people and organisations who may come into contact with victims and survivors of modern slavery. We offer short basic awareness training as well as longer, in-depth courses on modern slavery for practitioners and professionals.
To find out more visit Training UK | Hope for Justice.
