305 – Measuring Victim Service Progress, with Kelsey Morgan
Dr. Sandie Morgan is joined by Kelsey Morgan and the two discuss the importance of measuring survivor progress. Kelsey Morgan Kelsey Morgan is EverFree co-founder and Chief Program Officer. In 2015, Kelsey founded Willow International to meet the growing demand for quality aftercare and to transform the systems that fuel trafficking. In 2021, Kelsey teamed up with Jeremy Floyd, CEO of 10ThousandWindows, to unite their two organizations to become EverFree. Kelsey is currently pursuing her Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine. Key Points It is important to include survivors in the process of creating a tool to connect them with resources. The Freedom Lifemap tool and program was created to be easy to use and incorporates survivor voices. Direct feedback from the survivor is given when using the Freedom Lifemap tool, to give the survivor individualized resources that will create lasting freedom. The Freedom Lifemap program has adaptations in USA, Uganda, Philippines, Mexico, Bolivia, Kenya, and Cambodia. Resources Everfree Willow International 10ThousandWindows UCI School of Social Ecology Poverty Stoplight Tool OrangeWood Foundations Six Dimensions of Wellness Transcript Sandra Morgan 0:00 You're listening to the Ending Human Trafficking Podcast. This is episode #305: Measuring Victim Service Progress, with Kelsey Morgan. Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast here at Vanguard University's Global Center for Women and Justice in Orange County, California. My name is Sandie Morgan and this is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. Kelsey Morgan is EverFree co-founder and chief program officer. In 2015 Kelsey founded Willow International to meet the growing demand for quality after care, and to transform the systems that fuel trafficking. In 2021, Kelsey teamed up with Jeremy Floyd, CEO of 10ThousandWindows, to unite their two organizations to become EverFree. Kelsey is currently pursuing her PhD from the University of California, Irvine. I am so excited to have Kelsey here in our studio for this recording, and I should let you all know, I am on Kelsey's dissertation committee, and it really makes me happy to see the amazing impact that is growing. Kelsey Morgan 2:02 Thank you, Sandie. I'm so happy to be here. Sandra Morgan 1:51 Well, let's just dive right in. You are just knocking down old myths that we can't measure victim services in a way that's easy. Everybody has been so challenged by how to tell people what our impact is, how to tell when a survivor is ready, maybe for the next step. I want you to give us a little insight into what drove you to choose a research project, tackling a question that everybody was asking? Kelsey Morgan 2:36 Yeah, so I've been doing anti human trafficking work since 2010. Long story short, I moved to East Africa to help an aftercare organization startup and when we started developing these programs, I looked to the research. What works? What are the proven models, the best practices, and how do we measure? How do we show impact? But these things didn't exist. And it was really hard being in the field, doing this work, without having the tools to measure what's most effective, and without having data on what do survivors need most. What is most impactful in helping them attain a life of lasting freedom? So the team and I built programs, we found that they were working. Survivors were going back into their community, they were thriving, but we had no measurement tools to show this impact or to prove what parts of our programs were creating that impact. Sandra Morgan 3:28 So I've been in a lot of conversations with donors who want to know what their funds are actually doing in the individual lives of survivors. Donors will say to me, "Well, the anecdotal story is really motivating, brings tears to my eyes,