[WiLT] Support Services for Victims of Human Trafficking - expression of interest by 14th Nov

[WiL Admin]

Support Services for Victims of Human Trafficking

Funding area: England and Wales
Next Application Deadline: 14/11/2008
Start date: 20/10/2008

The Ministry of Justice, MOJ and the Home Office (HO) is seeking to
select an experienced Third Sector partner to deliver a service for
England and Wales that provides supported accommodation and advocacy
to adult victims (over 18yrs) that have been trafficked into (or
within) the United Kingdom for sexual exploitation through
prostitution or domestic servitude.

Total Fund Value: £ 1,850,000

Funding will be provided for 2 years (2009-11), the Total Fund Value
represents the amount available under the scheme per annum. The fund
value of the scheme is £3.7 million.

Please Note: MOJ state that it intends is to make only one grant under
this programme and that there is no commitment to extend the grant
beyond 31 March 2011.

The Government is seeking to expand existing support services (see
'Further information' section) for victims of human trafficking for
the purposes of sexual exploitation and domestic servitude. Human
trafficking constitutes: the movement, the means (threat, force,
coercion, abduction, control or deceit) and exploitation.

The appointed Support Services for Victims of Human Trafficking would
preferably be delivered through a consortium arrangement with the lead
Third Sector organisation working in partnership with a range of
statutory/public services (including police, local authorities and
health services) and/or other Third Sector organisations. However this
is not a specific requirement of the grant and applications will be
considered from individual Third Sector Organisations.

The objectives of the service set up by this fund are to:
* Provide safe and appropriate accommodation and support in compliance
with the Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human
Beings (See 'Documents and Links' for the Explanatory Report).
* Create an environment that is conducive to the recovery of victims
and encourages them to seek justice.
* Provide advocacy support and act as a conduit between the client and
the relevant criminal justice agencies, UK Border Agency, social
services and health services.
* Assist the Competent Authority in the identification of victims of
human trafficking and contribute to the national referral mechanism.
* Provide information and as necessary, assist in arranging voluntary
returns to countries of origin.

The Ministry of Justice stipulate that the minimum service
specification must be:
* accommodation & living needs (for clients with no recourse to public
funds);
* advocacy support;
* data collection.

The following are additional recommended services:
* a national co-ordinator to manage the network of support provision
* link worker(s) to work with statutory agencies in victim
identification and referral into support (possibly based in the UK
Human Trafficking Centre in Sheffield).

For more details please refer to Annex A (see 'Documents and Links'
section at the bottom of this page).

The following cannot be funded:
* individuals;
* private businesses;
* party political activities.

Applications for Victims Fund: Support Services for Victims of Human
Trafficking will only be considered from:
* established Third Sector (not-for-profit, voluntary and community
sector) organisations or a consortium with the lead organisation being
a Third Sector organisation working in partnership with
statutory/public services (e.g. Police, Local Authorities and Primary
Care Trusts/health services) and/or other Third Sector organisations;
* organisations with expertise and experience in providing services
for victims of human trafficking for the purposes of sexual
exploitation/prostitution and/or domestic servitude;
* organisations seeking to continue or develop existing services for
the target client group; and
* organisations within England and Wales.

Additionally applications must be able to demonstrate:
* appropriate knowledge and experience of providing safe, supported
housing related services and working with victims of crime;
* competency to assist in the identification of victims of human
trafficking;
* partnerships/experience of working with the police, local
authorities, health services and the UK Border Agency;
* experience of providing services to meet the diverse needs of
clients (particularly gender and culturally sensitive services);
* professionalism;
* financial viability;
* value for money.

For more details about what should be demonstrated in applications
please refer to page 3 of Annex A (see 'Documents and Links' section
at the bottom of this page).

Applicants must register their interest by submitting the Annex B
Expression of Interest Form (available from the 'Documents and Links'
section at the bottom of this page). Completed forms must be sent to:
VictimsFund at homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk or via fax to 08703369005 by 14
November 2008

If eligible, formal invitation documents will be issued from 21
October 2008. Annex C, which can be downloaded at the bottom of this
page, provides details of the full application process.

Contact Information:

Andrea Dias
Victim & Witness Unit
Office for Criminal Justice Reform
Phone: 0207 0358413 or 0207 0358424
Fax: 08703369005
Email: VictimsFund at homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

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Documents and Links

Appendix
 UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking
 UK Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC)

Application Form
 Annex B Expressions of Interest Support Services for Victims of Human
Trafficking

Guidance
 Annex C Human Trafficking tendering information
 Annex A Eligibility, scope and minimum service specification

http://www.governmentfunding.org.uk/VCSSearch.aspx?WCI=htmSchemeView&WCU=DSCODE=DSCLIVEGF,SCHEMEID=12-S162,SEARCH=DS=DSCLIVEGF

(if the links don't work it means you need to sign up to the
governmentfunding web site. As yet I cant find this scheme on the Home
Office web site but will keep checking.)