The Impact of Assembly Trainings on Awareness of Human Trafficking among Middle School and High School Age Youth

Author: Pooler, Cheryl; Sykora, Jessica & Pooler, David

Abstract: The national focus on human trafficking has grown in the past decade. A focus on prevention is critical to protecting society from perpetrators. Children have become particularly vulnerable to the point that schools are utilizing a series of best practices recommended by the National Center for Homeless Education at SERVE (NCHE) to help guide administrators and teachers with detecting and responding to the trafficking of students. The authors examine the efficacy of assembly-style trainings in Central Texas schools using the Keeping Students Safe Curriculum developed by Unbound. This research suggests that using this curriculum in an assembly-style presentation increases knowledge and awareness about human trafficking among high school students.

Keywords: human trafficking, curriculum, training, children, secondary education