In this latest update on the IMSA® Development Project, we invite you to join us for the national pilot launch, apply to become an IMSA® Employing Organisation, and share how the IMSA® PG Certification has reached a key milestone.
Join us in-person or online at the launch of the IMSA® pilot
The IMSA Project Board warmly invites you to join the launch of the national IMSA® pilot, Independent Modern Slavery Advocacy: Working Together for Lasting Change.
The role of Independent Modern Slavery Advocate® (IMSA®) was created in response to a well-documented gap in how the UK responds to human trafficking. Independent advocacy is strongly recommended by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), which says: “Adult victims of trafficking should have an allocated advocate to provide individual support, needs and risks assessment, and to act as a co-ordinating focal point for all involved professionals and services.”
Since 2022, the IMSA Project Board has worked collaboratively, informed by those with lived and learned experience, alongside over 90 UK organisations from different sectors, to develop the National Framework for Independent Modern Slavery Advocates.
Join us on Tuesday 8th July to learn about the next steps in the IMSA® project, the national pilot, where 23 organisations across the UK will work together towards our collaborative aim; for every survivor in the UK to have access to an accredited, independent advocate.
Speakers include Eleanor Lyons, Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Jane Lasonder, Vice Chair International Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Council (ISTAC) at OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Alicia Rana, Lived Experience Consultant, and a video address from Safeguarding Minister, Jess Phillips.
Key event information:
- Tuesday 8th July, 10am-3.30pm
- In-person at Ashurst Law Firm, London
- Or as an online delegate
- Register for free here
Apply to become an IMSA® Employing Organisation and join the national pilot
Applications are now open for organisations to apply to partner with the IMSA® Development Project, to participate in the pilot and employ an IMSA®.
The IMSA® Model pilot enables a period of rigorous testing of the IMSA® model in different types of organisations and a range of locations throughout the UK, ensuring the IMSA® model is the best it can be, improving outcomes for survivors.
We are seeking organisations from different sectors including NGOs, community and faith groups, NRM providers and statutory services. We are also seeking organisations from a range of geographies across the UK, including devolved nations, rural, urban areas and postcode lottery areas.
Key information for organisations interested in employing an IMSA® and joining the pilot:
- Applications can be made to either Cohort 2: January 2026 or Cohort 3: May 2026
- New IMSA roles can either be a secondment or an external recruitment
- IMSAs must be employed for a minimum 28-month period, to ensure continuity for survivors
- IMSA Employing Organisations will cover the salary and on-boarding costs of their IMSAs, with guidance salary between £28,000 – £32,000
- IMSA Employing Organisations will receive support and guidance from the IMSA Model Hub and be part of a wider IMSA network
- Contact advocacy.imsa@hopeforjustice.org to arrange a discussion about applying to join the pilot
IMSA® PG Certification receives validation for 5 years
All IMSAs participating in the pilot will complete a postgraduate (PG) Certification, delivered by St Mary’s University, Twickenham. Trainee IMSAs will complete the qualification when they start in role. The qualification is composed of three modules:
- Being an Independent Advocate
- Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking: Policy Frameworks, Processes and Procedures
- Trauma Informed, Culturally Competent and Reflective Practice in Survivor Advocacy
The IMSA PG Certification was recently validated for a five-year period. This is a key step in the accreditation and standardisation of the role. With independent advocacy being offered in a standardised and accredited way, survivors can feel confident in the level and professionalism of the advocacy they receive, and can also be empowered to understand how to raise concerns or complaints if the advocacy they receive falls below these standards.
