Faith Alliance Against Slavery and Trafficking has developed a new curriculum to educate children about the dangerous reality of human trafficking. Created by pastors and children’s ministry leaders, Change Agents is specifically aimed at 8-13 year-olds and designed for churches and faith-based communities. The curriculum is intended to be taught by adults and administered by churches to children and youth in Sunday schools, youth groups, and other gatherings.
The Change Agents curriculum was developed for three reasons:
1.To educate children and families about the issue of human trafficking
2.To prevent children from becoming victims
3.To empower children and their families to make a difference
The importance of the 7-week curriculum could not be any greater. Current statistics illustrate that the average age for recruitment into prostitution and pornography in the United States is between 12-14 years old. Each year at least 100,000 children are at risk for commercial sexual exploitation.
Change Agents will help children understand human trafficking and empower them to recognize and help prevent this crime. FAAST, World Hope International, and The Wesleyan Church are all partnering together to make this product available. Change Agents curriculum is available as a PDF purchase through Wesleyan Publishing House.
“This interactive Scripture-based curriculum is a great way to introduce preteens to God’s heart for justice and provides tangible suggestions that they and their families can use to take a stand against human trafficking,” said Rev. Beth Cossin, director of the Wesleyan Justice Network. “I love that it is not just focused on awareness, but clearly points toward action steps that can make a real difference.”
“In order for us to change these statistics, we need to teach our students about human trafficking,” said Mandy Porter, FAAST coordinator. However, she stresses that “each lesson has been carefully edited and prayed over, with the goal to help children avoid trauma, not expose them to it.”
“The Wesleyan Church is committed to fighting injustice and exploitation and this curriculum is a great way for kids to do that,” said Porter. “There are lots of resources for high-school kids or adults but we know that recruitment is happening early in life and we want our churches to be prepared.”
View a video about Lacy, a young girl who was trafficked at age 13.
To purchase Change Agents, click here. For general information, visit the FAAST website.
