Ms Elaine O'Sullivan:

I am here today to speak to the members about the actions that our group, Life Leeches, has taken in raising awareness and educating people about this cruel crime. From completing surveys, interviews and questionnaires and talking to professionals, it was clear that awareness was needed right now. We attempted to identify the best way to educate our peers and society. We designed and ordered wristbands using the colour blue, which is the international colour for sex trafficking. Our wristbands also glow in the dark, in order to show people that there is always light through the darkness. These were distributed to all pupils and staff in our school. In school, we showed regular material on digital notice boards. We had a presentation at a whole assembly, lesson plans for CSPE classes, a presentation to staff, and a poster campaign which highlighted the dangers of human trafficking in all rooms around the school. We set up a Facebook page, Life Leeches, and a Twitter page, @LifeLeeches. Each of these pages is very active and informative with regular posts including statistics, quotations, poetry, posters, photography, media articles, art, music and events. We gave out an information booklet on trafficking to parents in the first-year pack. This booklet could be made available nationally or via the websites of national parents' associations. The booklet is similar in content and design to that published by the Donegal anti-trafficking group.

Creative members of our group designed a board game as well as a story book for younger children to help them understand the dangers of human trafficking. A photography exhibition on the theme was held in the town library, including images of child labour, child brides, organ and tissue removal and child soldiers. We have compiled a CD with a playlist of songs and poetry and we have completed a YouTube video on the theme of human trafficking. One of our group members wrote and performed a song on the theme entitled "You Are Not Alone" which is also a hit on YouTube. We worked with Soulwaves Media Productions to create a radio and television advertisement which we have distributed to local and national radio and television stations. We wrote our own drama on human trafficking and used this as part of our speak-out for the Young Social Innovator. In it we focused on sex exploitation, labour exploitation and organ removal. This was powerful in conveying our anti-trafficking message. We completed a leaflet with film and book reviews and made a collage of art by people from around the world based on the theme. We created an art piece that we hope could be used on various products, including the trays in food outlets, in-flight magazines and ferries or even on napkins and coffee cups. Three experts from the organisation APT Ireland travelled to our school and together we discussed our research as well as their work. They have been most helpful with our project. We continue to work together on this topic.

We feel that the approach that we have taken to human trafficking has been comprehensive and somewhat effective on a local and national level. We would like to think that we have made some difference, but we also hope that the various interested organisations across our country can use our approach, our research and our enthusiasm to continue to make people aware and to educate and motivate young people like us to do something for all those who are voiceless worldwide. As President Barack Obama said:

[W]e see you. We hear you. We insist on your dignity. And we share your belief that if just given the chance, you will forge a life equal to your talents and worthy of your dreams.