BETHESDA, Md., July 27,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of World Day
against Trafficking in Persons on July
30, Marriott International and the University of Maryland Support, Advocacy, Freedom,
and Empowerment Center for Human Trafficking Survivors (the SAFE
Center) today announced the nationwide expansion of Future in
Training (FiT) Curriculum that seeks to equip survivors of human
trafficking interested in embarking on careers in hospitality with
necessary information and resources. The national rollout will span
11 metropolitan areas throughout the continental United States and is expected to train up to
150 survivors by July 2024.
Recognizing that trafficking survivors face many barriers in
their search for education and employment, Marriott co-developed
the FiT Curriculum in collaboration with the Global Fund to End
Modern Slavery (GFEMS) in 2018. Designed with input from survivor
consultants and field experts, the FiT Curriculum provides
trauma-informed job readiness training for survivors interested in
hospitality careers. The training program consists of seven modules
that focus on hospitality and teach foundational knowledge useful
in any industry, including presentation skills, teamwork, time
management, relationship building, and interviewing basics.
"Marriott has a longstanding commitment to empower through
opportunity and create pathways to career growth," said
Anthony Capuano, President and Chief
Executive Officer, Marriott
International. "We are proud to expand our commitment to
survivors of human trafficking and deepen our anti-trafficking
efforts. This curriculum helps fill a market-based need for trained
talent and offers survivors access to skills-based training and
meaningful careers in the hospitality industry. We look forward to
expanding our support to the SAFE Center for Human Trafficking
Survivors as it scales the FiT Curriculum nationwide."
The initiative builds on Marriott and GFEMS's successful pilot
of the FiT Curriculum implemented by the SAFE Center for Human
Trafficking and three other service providers in Charlotte, North Carolina; Dallas, Texas; and New York, New York in 2022. More than 60
survivors were trained in the pilot and post-curriculum survey
responses indicated an increase in knowledge of all topics,
confidence in skills and abilities, and a 97% satisfaction rate
with the pace and content.
Building on the pilot's success, the SAFE Center for Human
Trafficking Survivors was awarded an inaugural grant from the AHLA
Foundation's No Room for Trafficking (NRFT) Survivor Fund to grow
the FiT Curriculum across the country. Marriott International is a
proud donor to the NRFT Survivor Fund, which provides grants to
community-based organizations working to provide financial support
and stability to survivors. Jointly with The J. Willard and Alice
S. Marriott Foundation, Marriott made a combined contribution of
$550,000 to the fund in June of
2023
To scale the program nationally, the SAFE Center for Human
Trafficking Survivors will use a Train-the-Trainer model to onboard
10 additional sites to deploy the FiT Curriculum in person and/or
by virtual instruction. The content will be delivered by local
facilitators to structure the program based on the needs of the
survivors they serve. All English and Spanish-speaking adult
survivors receiving services from the SAFE Center for Human
Trafficking Survivors and subcontracted partner organizations will
be eligible to participate in the training program.
"We have seen the profound effect hospitality training can have
on survivors' wellbeing and autonomy," said Susan Esserman,
SAFE Center Founder and Director. "The American Hotel and Lodging
Association award provides an opportunity to scale the impact of
the hospitality training program to human trafficking survivors
across the country. We are immensely grateful to Marriott
International for their innovative leadership in developing
hospitality training for survivors and their commitment to empower
survivors by offering vital employment opportunities that advance
economic empowerment and financial stability for survivors and
their families."
Marriott introduced human trafficking awareness training –
developed in consultation with PACT (previously known as
ECPAT-USA) and Polaris – for its
associates in 2016. Last year, Marriott marked an important
milestone toward its goal of training all on-property associates in
human trafficking awareness by 2025 as part of its sustainability
and social impact platform, Serve 360. Over 1.1 million Marriott
associates are now trained to spot the signs and respond to human
trafficking.
As of 2023, more than 900,000 hospitality professionals outside
of Marriott have also completed the donated version of the
training. The online training can be taken for free
at https://www.wearepact.org/for-professionals.
To learn more about Marriott International's work to combat
human trafficking globally visit Welcome All and Advance Human
Rights I Marriott International Serve360.
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based
in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and
encompasses a portfolio of more than 8,500 properties under 31
leading brands spanning 138 countries and territories. Marriott
operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership
resorts all around the world. The company offers Marriott
Bonvoy®, its highly awarded travel program. For more
information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and
for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.
In addition, connect with us on Facebook and
@MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram.
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SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.