PROTECT

Background PROTECT provided Youthworkers (YWs) with targeted training to support safeguarding and knowledge around Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and overlapping issues. We recognised the need for holistic packages of protective support implemented at the local level that incorporate protection against both online and offline grooming, and that recognize how a range of issues intersect including healthy relationships, involvement with gangs, drugs and crime as well as staying safe from grooming online and in community. A trans-national approach enabled the development of an innovative toolkit based on collaborative development activities that can be delivered locally and that fills an international gap in YW training that required an urgent fix. The project improved the competence level of a new generation of emerging leaders in YW (particularly those under 30). The long term benefits for YWs are a greater skill set and knowledge on CSE and overlapping issues, and skills needed to support YP who are affected and or involved in CSE. As well our toolkit is accessible to anyone within the partner countries to further educate YWs on CSE and related issues. Objectives 1)To enhance YWs skills and understanding of CSE and related issues through the coming together to develop and share new ideas for training activities, achieved through 3 5-day training activities taking place in year 1 of the project. 2)To evaluate these training events to inform the collaborative development of a new innovative toolkit by the partner organisations and their emerging leaders in year 2 of the project. The training activities and toolkit will incorporate specific sections on CSE and related issues. The partners will each contribute to developing ideas for each section. Partners will share activities and interventions as part of the training events that are developed and reflected on as a group then incorporated into the toolkit. 3) To test and embed the toolkit into the training and practice of YWs in each of the partner countries through multiplier events delivered by the partners in year 2 of the project and the integration of the toolkit into their ongoing training of YWs and the hosting of the toolkit in a free to access space online beyond the end of the project Implementation Three training events in which youth workers from the 5 countries came together to learn about child sexual exploitation and to co-produce resources for the toolkit. The development of the Protect Project toolkit. The dissemination of the toolkit through 5 multiplier events, one in each country. Achievements The toolkit. The evaluation report. The impact of the training events and toolkit on youth workers' ongoing practice - see impact section below for data on this from the evaluation.