The Project
Catch & Sustain: European Cross-Actors Exchange Platform for Trafficked Children on Methodology Building for Prevention and Sustainable Inclusion
Between 2013 and 2015, Kopin implemented the project “Catch & Sustain”, co-funded by the EU within the ISEC programme (Prevention of and Fight against Crime), under the coordination of the Luxembourgish NGO network European Federation for Street Children and in collaboration with various European partners.
The project aimed at developing and implementing a training model for operators who work in direct contact with children who have been trafficked or who are at such risk, and to provide capacity building and networking opportunities for stakeholders in the field.
In a first phase, KOPIN undertook research in order to identify the child populations at risk of trafficking in Malta and to map good practices regarding identification and empowerment of children victims or potential victims of trafficking and data collection of such cases in the Country. Both researches were presented during two different meetings, held in July and September 2013, with a number of relevant stakeholders, in order to collect further information of Malta’s current situation and exchange expertise on the issue. The meetings were attended by representatives of the government, international organisations, civil society organisations and academia.
Based on the research and the feedback received during the above meetings as well as during a number of think tanks with different groups that were held in early 2014, the project partners designed a training model for professionals and operators working in direct contact with those categories of minors at risk of trafficking. The toolkit contains support measures for frontline professionals for the identification of (potential) victims of trafficking who are minors, for the actual support of minors as well as for activities that can be implemented with (potential) trafficking victims.
The training model was subsequently tested, providing training which involved various relevant stakeholders in the field – namely the Police Forces, social services and civil society – as well as to unaccompanied asylum seeking minors.
The project allowed Kopin to become an important actor in the fight against trafficking of minors in Malta, leading to further collaboration with frontline workers since 2015.
Specific Objective: Develop and implement a training model for operators who work in direct contact with children who have been trafficked or who are at such risk, and to provide capacity building and networking opportunities for stakeholders in the field.
Key activities:
- Research concerning the populations of minors most at risk of becoming victims of trafficking in Malta
- Development and testing of a toolkit for the fight against child trafficking
- Training and capacity building for frontline workers in the fight against trafficking of minors
- Provision of networking space for frontline agencies.
