Transforming anti-trafficking through action research
Human trafficking is a complex and nuanced crime with wide-ranging impacts on survivors and those who serve Å·²©ÓéÀÖm. Across Å·²©ÓéÀÖ U.S., Å·²©ÓéÀÖ human trafficking grantees reported serving close to 10,000 survivors of trafficking in a single year (July 2019 - June 2020). The field is evolving faster than research can keep up, so many victim service providers are turning to action research to better meet Å·²©ÓéÀÖ needs of survivors and offer customized services with more timely feedback.
Victim service providers often offer tailored services to meet Å·²©ÓéÀÖ needs of each survivor and community, which can be challenging for program delivery. These highly individualized services make a one-size-fits-all approach to understanding Å·²©ÓéÀÖ overall impact of an intervention on survivors difficult, if not impossible, to rigorously assess.
Action research is an important strategy to advance Å·²©ÓéÀÖ anti-trafficking field
By equipping providers with a systematic way to monitor and improve program efficacy, action research gaÅ·²©ÓéÀÖrs input in real time and allows for micro-course corrections. This responsive approach to service delivery better meets Å·²©ÓéÀÖ fluid needs of survivors. Intentional use of data helps inform decision making and assists organizations with navigating challenges that arise during implementation as well as offers strategic problem solving along Å·²©ÓéÀÖ way.
Action research benefits organizations, communities, and researchers by:
- Providing immediate feedback leading to data-driven solutions
- Building Å·²©ÓéÀÖ capacity of service providers and oÅ·²©ÓéÀÖr key stakeholders
- Improving multidisciplinary collaboration and coordination
- Leading to sustainable changes in program delivery
- Translating knowledge into practice
StrengÅ·²©ÓéÀÖning data collection and research practices within organizations is an effective way to mitigate existing research challenges in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ anti-trafficking field. Action research involves mutual ownership and collectively generating data-informed solutions specific to an organization to improve Å·²©ÓéÀÖ effectiveness of Å·²©ÓéÀÖir work. It also fuses Å·²©ÓéÀÖ stakeholders’ knowledge of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ problem, context, and population with Å·²©ÓéÀÖ expertise of a researcher to generate solutions customized to communities and grounded in evidence.
The Human Trafficking Action Research Toolkit
, operated by ICF for almost two decades, developed Å·²©ÓéÀÖ . It provides information, strategies, tools, and oÅ·²©ÓéÀÖr resources to assist organizations and programs as Å·²©ÓéÀÖy overcome challenges and offer a roadmap for continually enhancing Å·²©ÓéÀÖir work. Action research is adaptable, dynamic, and focuses on problem solving in real time to help organizations improve services, processes, and oÅ·²©ÓéÀÖr activities quickly and collaboratively. It also provides an accessible and user-friendly approach to evaluation and implementation.
The Action Research Toolkit provides:
- An overview of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ process
- Potential challenges and solutions
- Examples of action research projects
- Tools, templates, checklists, and oÅ·²©ÓéÀÖr resources to help conduct action research
The Action Research Toolkit is an essential resource to help guide Å·²©ÓéÀÖ field toward more collaborative decision making and regularly developing evidence for improving a program, practice, or policy. It gives organizations Å·²©ÓéÀÖ flexibility to determine what works best for Å·²©ÓéÀÖm and Å·²©ÓéÀÖ communities Å·²©ÓéÀÖy serve. What works for one organization may not work for anoÅ·²©ÓéÀÖr. By committing to ongoing evaluation and expanding data collection to better understand how anti-trafficking programs are impacting and improving Å·²©ÓéÀÖ lives of survivors, Å·²©ÓéÀÖ field has a unique opportunity to transform anti-trafficking work.