Direct services to survivors of trafficking are not being evaluated for quality and effectiveness. Several organizations are making decisions based on assumptions and not evidence. As a result, limited information and understanding is known about preventing trafficking and supporting survivors (Davy, 2016). Program evaluation is a necessary part in program design because it not only improves programs but provides a survivor-centered approach by integrating the perspectives of survivors. There needs to be a more rigorous approach in research methods when it comes to evaluating programs (Tyldum & Brunovskis, 2005). The presenters believe that program evaluation is an essential tool in any program implementation process. Without collecting and analyzing data, how can we know if our programs are having the impact we intended? The STEPS Evaluation Program is designed to take an organization through a process to determine if services offered match the experiences of those receiving them, if the mission and vision are practiced effectively, and if trauma-informed practices are being used. This evaluation program was designed by lived-experience experts and creates standards of care to hold organizations accountable. Furthermore, The Steps Evaluation Program helps identify gaps and goals so organizations can make trauma-informed adjustments and continue to evolve. The Steps Evaluation Program is recommended to organizations who are committed to providing effective services to survivors and integrating formal evaluation practices. This presentation will discuss the importance of program evaluation in the anti-trafficking movement, go over The STEPS program components, and provide examples from organizations who have experienced this program.
Mary Bull started her career in biotech and made the leap to join the anti-trafficking movement after learning how prevalent and nuanced it is. She graduated from Boston University with her MPH and currently works for Mosaic Consulting Co. LLC as a Researcher and Analyst.
Fenix McClay (they/them) is the founder of Mosaic Consulting Co LLC. As a lived experience expert, they focus on harm reduction in the anti-human trafficking sector through training, program evaluation, and professional consulting services. They have three years training in professional counseling and have worked for ten years within the social services sector.
As a first-generation student and an activist for sexually exploited people, Bianca Ramos looks forward to changing practices and policies that impact the global majority. Bianca is currently in a sociology master’s program and will graduate in spring of May 2023 with a certificate in college teaching at UNCO. She is also a researcher and analyst with Mosaic Consulting Co. LLC.