Resources
Support for Survivors of Sex Trafficking
According to an annual report by REST – Real Escape from the Sex Trade, the average age at which a person is first trafficked into the sex trade industry is about 12 years old. Children in the foster care system are especially vulnerable to being trafficked into the sex trade, with about 60% of survivors reported having been in foster care at one point or another. Given Seattle’s status as one of the top cities in demand for sex trafficking in the United States, it is important for foster parents to be aware of their child’s risk of being trafficked and to have awareness of the resources available to them. Listed below are a few local organizations that work to offer support to survivors of sex trafficking:
REST – Real Escape from the Sex Trade
A partner of Fostering Hope Seattle, REST is a non-profit organization that aims to offer pathways to freedom, safety, and hope to survivors of sex trafficking within the greater Seattle area. REST offers both emergency and long-term support options for sex trafficking survivors, including access to short-term or transitional housing, support groups and individual counseling, financial support in the search for permanent housing, and much more. REST is in partnership with API Chaya and YouthCare as a part of the Washington Anti-Trafficking Response Network (WARN).
API Chaya
Focused specifically on providing resources to survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, and sexual violence, API Chaya offers services to those in Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian, Asian, and South Asian communities. Those at risk can reach out to API Chaya to access direct services, such as support from therapists, tools for safety planning, and education on the resources available to them as survivors. API Chaya is in partnership with REST and YouthCare as a part of the Washington Anti-Trafficking Response Network (WARN).
Founded by a local law enforcement officer who recognized the need for an escape from the sex trafficking for minors, The Genesis Project works to meet the needs of those leaving the sex trade by offering immediate shelter, educational resources, job skills training, referrals to counseling, and long-term safehouses. Their local “Drop-in” center in Kent, WA, is open five days a week and allows those contemplating leaving the sex trade to meet with a case manager to begin creating an “action plan”, or to simply access hygiene products or clean clothes.
This organization works specifically with homeless youth or youth at risk of becoming homeless to provide access to shelter, permanent housing, individualized high school diploma or GED instructional programs, and internship opportunities to provide them with experience in the workforce. YouthCare is in partnership with REST and API Chaya as a part of the Washington Anti-Trafficking Response Network (WARN).
Mentorship Programs for Vulnerable Youth
Youth in foster care desperately need consistent support from dedicated and compassionate adults that actively show an interest in who they are. One way foster families can help provide this kind of connection to their children in foster care is through local mentorship programs. In Seattle, there are a multitude of programs that can provide mentors to local youth that cater to the individual identities of each child by considering factors such as race, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Some of these programs are:
Based in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, Youth Wise Mentoring matches children with mentors and offers ongoing mentorship training and supervision. They also offer training to churches and other organizations in their own unique mentoring model so they can match youth with mentors in their community.
Seattle CARES Mentoring Movement
An organization that specializes in serving Black youth and families, Seattle CARES offers a variety of programs to provide mentorship to Black children and offer training to Black mentors to work specifically with Black mentees. Seattle CARES offers in-school, gender-specific mentorship sessions to small groups of middle school students with curriculum based in healing, critical thinking, nurturing, and determination.
Designed to serve Black youth and youth of color between the ages of 12 – 17, The 4C Coalition offers one-on-one mentorship, group mentorship, and tutoring to children in King County. Mentors in this program rely on support from the mentor program supervisors in order to locate resources for their assigned youth that will best meet their needs.
This program is specifically focused on connecting high school students with a community of peers and adults in order to provide them with self-awareness, knowledge, and skills needed to create goals and meet their own definition of success. Students meet one-on-one with a mentor, and together they also attend small groups and workshops referred to as “Learning Communities.”
Free and Low-Cost Child After-School Programs
In trying to find balance as a foster parent, the demands of caring for children, working, and finding time for self-care can be completely overwhelming and can manifest in feeling burnt-out. Having access to free and low-cost after-school programs that foster parents can enroll their children in can provide them with a few extra hours per week that they can spend getting caught up on work or daily errands, or even just some much needed time to relax. Meanwhile, children in these programs benefit from increased interpersonal development with their peers. Listed below are a few after-school programs available to foster parents and their children:
Seattle’s YMCA locations offer a variety of after-school programs and other childcare opportunities at low cost. For those who cannot afford to pay for services, the YMCA offers financial assistance to qualifying families in order to allow children and families of all economic backgrounds to participate in their programs. The YMCA offers weekly activities for youth to engage in after school in a variety of subjects, such as sports, dance, drama, art, cooking, music, and much more!
Frustrated by the fact that your kids never want to play outside? Enroll them in an after-school program with The Mountaineers, a Washington-based nonprofit that works to engage youth and their families with the outdoor playground that lies in the Pacific Northwest. In their after-school programs, The Mountaineers teach children to kayak, hike, skii, rock climb, among other outdoor skills, all while emphasizing the importance of taking care of the environment they explore with a “Leave no trace” mentality. Scholarships are available to families who apply!
This program is unique in that it is specifically designed to encourage youth who struggle to engage socially due to behavioral disorders to further develop their social skills by interacting with peers who share similar experiences. Low-cost before and after school care is offered in the form of Social Skills Groups that are created based on shared interests, such as creative arts, outdoor activities, video games, or mythical realms.
Fostering Hope Seattle is a ministry of the Set Free Movement and First Free Methodist Church located at 3200 3rd Ave. W. Seattle, WA 98119.