Andrew Smith

Andrew Smith

Manager of the ACTion to combat modern slavery: Justice Hub, Coordinator, Humber Modern Slavery Partnership

Faculty and Department

  • Institutes
  • Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery and Emancipation

Qualifications

  • MA (University of Hull)

Summary

Andrew is the manager of the ACTion to Combat Modern Slavery: Justice Hub and coordinator of the Humber Modern Slavery Partnership.

Andrew is responsible for coordinating Anti-Slavery efforts across all four local authority areas in Humberside to develop a response to modern slavery that not only disrupts and discourages the exploitation of people, but that fully supports those who are exploited, brings perpetrators to justice, and helps build more resilient communities. Andrew works with a broad range of statutory and non-statutory organisations as well as the third sector and our local communities to make Humberside a safer place and improve access to justice for adults and children.

The ACTion to Combat Modern Slavery Justice Hub is a Wilberforce Institute and University of Hull Alumni funded project that seeks to combat modern slavery by using research and knowledge exchange to engage and empower people to create a culture of change for good.

Co-investigator

Project

Funder

Grant

Started

Status

Project

HIKE: Proactive Policing in Modern Slavery

Funder

AHRC Arts & Humanities Research Council

Grant

£2,184.00

Started

1 October 2023

Status

Ongoing

Project

An assessment of the value of cultural competency in addressing modern slavery risks for those facing identity-based oppression

Funder

AHRC Arts & Humanities Research Council

Grant

£46,334.00

Started

1 June 2023

Status

Complete

Awards and prizes

iese certificate of excellence

2021

Winner of the iese certificate of excellence for public sector transformation - to mark significant innovations in transforming public services. For coordinating the Humber modern slavery partnership.

Viking FM Outstanding Achievement Award

2016 - 2017

Recipient of the Viking FM, Yorkshire and Humber outstanding achievement award for services to the charity sector.

Viking FM Ultimate Award

2016 - 2017

Recipient of the Viking FM, Yorkshire and Humber Ultimate Award for services to the charity sector 2016

Britain's Best Volunteer

2015 - 2016

Recipient of the Small Charities Coalition annual award for Britain's best volunteer 2016.

Charity role

Founder of Hull Homeless Community Project

2010

Founded by Andrew in 2010 and registered as a charity in 2016 the Hull Homeless Community Project works to assist anyone effected or at risk of Homelessness, poverty and crisis in Hull and the surrounding area.

Committee/Steering group role

Interim Chair of the Hull devolved child NRM decision making panel

2023 - 2023

Acting chair of the devolved child NRM decision-making panel for Hull. This panel is part of a Home Office pilot to test if decision-making about potential child victims of modern slavery is better placed locally.

Chair of the Humber Modern Slavery Partnership

2017 - 2019

Andrew sat as chair of the Humber Modern Slavery Partnership for two years before appointment to Coordinator in September 2019

National Network Coordinators Forum

2017

Representing the Humber region at national level as part of the network of modern slavery partnership coordinators. Working to share best practice, lobby central government and improve partnerships and responses to modern slavery at a local and national level.

Conference organisation

'Migration and Modern Slavery: Voicing the Journeys' two-day conference

2023

The 'Migration and Modern Slavery: Voicing the Journeys' two-day conference aims to bring together leading academics and practitioners to explore and discuss the importance of considering modern slavery from the perspectives of individuals with lived experiences and those who may be vulnerable to exploitation. To practically implement obligations imposed by international and domestic laws, criminological and socio-legal research, along with policymakers and legislators, must be aware of victims' backgrounds, lived experiences, and needs. Research and practice must be informed by insights from individuals with experience of modern slavery and those who may be vulnerable to exploitation. Each person affected represents crucial qualitative evidence that academics, policymakers, and practitioners must listen to and incorporate into their work. Hence, this conference is of great contemporary relevance around issues of modern slavery and migration. This is especially true of regarding the voices of those on journeys through migration, the places they end up, and how survivors of modern slavery and practitioners of all kinds can help to make those journeys better. To do so, we explore the following key issues: •Engaging survivors with precarious immigration status. •National legal obligations and slavery vulnerabilities. •Minimizing risks of modern slavery within supply chains through inclusive & innovative approaches; •Developing multi-agency strategic partnerships to bring together a diverse range of stakeholders including those with lived experience. Over the course of the two days, you will hear from our expert academic and professional speakers on their research findings which will help us better to understand the effects of migration slavery, and share best practice in supporting those who are subject to these processes. You will take part in interactive workshops, working with professional and academic colleagues to discuss current issues, share best practice, and will conclude with a panel session giving you an opportunity to pose questions to our speakers.

Hull National referral mechanism conference

2022

This conference and training day delivered a range of sessions and workshops to professionals in the Hull area on how to support children who are suspected of being victims of modern slavery. This event used research and knowledge exchange to upskill staff and create a space for collaborative working to discuss issues faced in practice when supporting vulnerable young people.

Long term support for survivors of modern slavery. – The importance of modern slavery champions within organisations.

2022

The Wilberforce Institute, University of Hull in collaboration with the Humber Modern Slavery Partnership and national partners invite you to our upcoming free conference ‘Long term support for survivors of modern slavery. – The importance of modern slavery champions within organisations. Providing long term support to victims and survivors of slavery and trafficking is vital in helping people making lasting and meaningful recoveries, to avoid further trauma and re-exploitation, and in some cases support prosecutions against their exploiters. Access to support services for victims of slavery and trafficking in the UK is provided through the National Referral Mechanism. People who are referred into the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) are entitled to a range of support services such as accommodation, financial assistance, counselling, or help accessing legal advice. However, research shows us that there is a distinct lack of understanding of what support people need once they have exited this provision or indeed why they sometimes chose to decline any offer of support in the first place. This one-day conference at the Aura Innovation Centre brings together new empirical research findings, stories from survivors, experts working in policing and victim support to explore and discuss the importance of having skilled professionals in key positions within organisations who can work with victims to improve their long-term outcomes.

The launch of The Justice Hub, a learning event looking at The Modern Slavery Act 2015, Legal Enforcement and Victim Engagement

2022

The event will be the first major learning event delivered by the Justice Hub since the project began in September 2021. The event will bring the law profession and social care workers together to help them explore how legislation and policy can influence and improve how they work together to best support victims of modern slavery in the UK. Keynote Speaker Simon Green, Professor of Criminology and Victimology at the University of Hull will discuss victimological theories that link to practice, how we identify victims, victim self-identity, and methods for achieving the best outcomes for victims. Andrew Smith and Dr Alicia Kidd from the Wilberforce Institute are joined by DC Colin Ward from Operation Challenger’s modern slavery unit at Greater Manchester Police, to look at ‘What is Modern Slavery and How Should We Respond’. 3PB’s Liz McGrath QC and Professor Trevor Burnard, director of the Wilberforce Institute and Wilberforce Professor will introduce the event followed by an introduction to the Justice Hub by manager Andrew Smith. Also joining this exciting event is Louise Gore, Equiano project manager at Jericho, a Birmingham-based charity supporting those on a journey towards fulfilment in life and work. Louise will be providing her expertise as a panel member in a session with all the speakers to close the event.

Victim care pathways workshop conference

2021

Victim care pathways conference delivered at the Wilberforce Institute for external partners. This workshop conference was delivered using a modern slavery workshop resource pack developed with the Modern Slavery Policy and Evidence Centre.

Victim Care Conference

2019

Organised a pan Humber victim care conference for 100 delegates in partnership with the police and crime commissioner and the Wilberforce institute

Tackling Modern Slavery in Business

2019

Organised the tackling modern slavery in business seminar for Humber businesses to help them understand their roles and obligations in fighting modern slavery in supply chains. Organised in partnership with the office of the police and crime commissioner and the Wilberforce Institute

Conference presentation

Hull contextual safeguarding conference

2023

Delivery of 2x workshops on responding to modern slavery in practice and how to interpret legislation and policy

Freedom Talks panelist 2019

2019

Andrew joined Dr Alicia Kidd and journalist Annie Kelly as a panelist for the 2019 Freedom Talks series on criminal exploitation

Understanding Modern Slavery conference

2019

Guest presenting at the Hertfordshire modern slavery housing and accommodation conference to deliver strategic and practitioner level advice, guidance and knowledge to local authorities to help inform their approach to safeguarding vulnerable victims

Modern Slavery and Homelessness, identifying threat and reducing harm

2018

Presenting at the West Yorkshire Homelessness and Modern Slavery conference as part of an expert panel discussing vulnerabilities and support structures for homeless people at risk of exploitation

Membership/Fellowship of professional body

Member of the British Society of Criminology

2023

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