6. Survivor Employment Pathways
What if hiring one person could help change the world?Every survivor of modern slavery deserves the opportunity to rebuild their life, but rebuilding takes more than rescue. It takes opportunity. It takes inclusion. And it takes people like you.
Real People. Real Impact.
“Getting this job changed everything. I feel safe, respected, and like I can finally dream again.”
— Survivor Employee (name withheld for privacy)
These stories aren’t rare. With the right support, survivors become thriving team members and powerful contributors to your purpose.
Survivor Employment Pathways at a Glance*
Survivors currently employed
Survivors actively engaged in our employment pathways program
Survivors currently in the paid work experience program
* Figures as at 6 May 2025
Employment is Critical to Freedom
Modern slavery doesn’t end when someone escapes. Survivors face significant barriers to entering or re-entering the workforce, from language and trauma to limited local experience, and gaps in their employment history and confidence. Without the dignity and stability of employment, true recovery is out of reach.
Our Survivor School Employment Pathway Program provides tailored training, career coaching, and job-readiness support to break down these barriers. But what makes lasting change possible is employment. A real job with a real future.
And that’s where your business comes in. It’s employment partners, like you, who make long-term transformation possible.
Why Hiring a Survivor Makes Business Sense
(And Why More Companies Are Doing It)
This is a partnership where survivors gain dignity, independence, and hope, and businesses gain resilient, loyal team members and a purpose-driven edge. Together, we can build a future where every person has the right to earn, contribute, and belong.
We work closely with each partner to match survivors to the right roles, provide trauma-informed onboarding support, and ensure both the survivor and your team are set up for success.
The Benefits of Survivor Employment
1. Diversity & Inclusion with Real Impact
Survivors bring resilience, strength, insight, and unique life experiences to your team. By hiring a survivor, your business isn’t just ticking a box — you’re enriching your culture with lived experience that drives creativity, empathy, and innovation. Inclusive employment strengthens your organisation’s culture, creativity, and innovation capacity.
2. Corporate Social Responsibility in Action
Consumers and stakeholders are watching. Businesses that take a stand against exploitation and support human rights earn trust, loyalty, and social capital. This is CSR that’s tangible, human, and incredibly powerful.
Survivor employment delivers a tangible, authentic impact that builds trust and brand loyalty.
3. A More Positive, Purposeful Workplace Culture
Survivors are often highly determined, adaptable, and deeply appreciative of the opportunity to contribute. Their presence can inspire teams, strengthen morale, and foster a culture of compassion and connection.
4. Loyalty and Long-Term Retention
Survivors value stability, and repay it with commitment. Hiring a survivor can lead to longer employee tenure, reduced recruitment costs, and a workplace culture grounded in mutual respect.
5. Human Rights and ESG Alignment
Employment of survivors aligns with Australia’s Modern Slavery Act and global ESG frameworks. Partnering with us through this program helps demonstrate your organisation’s leadership in proactive, ethical labour practices and future-proofs your brand.
6. Boosting Brand Reputation
Socially conscious consumers and investors are backing businesses that walk their talk. Partnering with us offers a compelling story to share, one that resonates with the values of today’s market.
Ethical employment helps you stand out to customers, clients, and talent. You’ll be known not just for what you do, but how you do it.
7. A Chance to Help End Modern Slavery
This isn’t charity. It’s real, systemic change. By partnering with us, your business will join a growing movement to dismantle modern slavery for good, one opportunity at a time, and will play a vital role in building a world free from exploitation.
Curious about what this could look like for your organisation?
We offer tailored onboarding support, guidance for your team, and survivor-informed insights every step of the way.
How It Works: Two Pathways, One Purpose
The Survivor Employment Pathway
Onboarding & Safety
Personalised Case Management
- Survivors receive one-on-one support from our caseworkers who help identify their goals, skills, and job-readiness.
Recover & Rebuild
Survivor School Training
- Survivors complete modules on workplace skills, Australian employment culture, confidence building, and trauma recovery through our school.
Survive to Thrive
Life Skills & Job Preparation
- Participants engage in mock interviews, resume-building activities, and workplace immersion activities. Many also complete short-term voluntary work to build confidence.
Pathways to Success
Personalised Case Management
- We carefully match each survivor with roles and workplaces that align with their strengths and values.
The Employer Partnership Journey
The Survivor Employment pathway starts with short-term, paid work experience, after which you have a choice on how to proceed. If you choose to keep the survivor on after the trial period, we will continue to check in on their progress for up to 12 months.
Initial Chat
- We learn about your organisation, roles, and values to help find a great match.
Survivor Matching
- We introduce you to a job-ready candidate who has completed our program and is ready to contribute. The program starts with short-term paid work experience, after which you are welcome to continue or end that engagement, and even bring on another survivor.
Onboarding Support
- We help onboard the survivor into your team, providing trauma-informed support and optional staff education.
Ongoing Collaboration
- Our team checks in regularly to ensure a successful placement, receive feedback about the program, address concerns, and celebrate milestones.
This is a Purpose-Driven Partnership.
Join our community of like-minded employers making real impact through ethical, inclusive hiring.
Partner with The Freedom Hub to offer ethical employment and be part of a movement that’s changing lives.
Are You Ready to Be Part of Something Bigger?
Join the Movement for Ethical Employment
This is your opportunity to turn values into action and align your business with inclusive hiring, ethical leadership, and survivor-informed practices that make a real difference. Not only that, it is an impactful way to showcase your organisational values, meet your ESG goals, and enrich your team with exceptional people.
Whether you’re ready to hire or just starting the conversation, we’re here to support you.
Let’s explore what ethical employment could look like in your business, together.
Because sometimes, changing just one life changes everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
What support is provided to businesses that hire a survivor?
We offer survivor-informed onboarding, training for your staff, and ongoing support to ensure a successful placement for both parties.
How do you match survivors to suitable roles?
We place survivors in roles in the following ways:
- We work closely with survivors through our training programs to identify their strengths and interests, helping to match them with job opportunities within our partner organisations that align with their skills.
- We work with your organisation to identify which role(s) you’d like filled. We can then help you find a survivor with the right qualifications or assist survivors in training for that role specifically.
Which role types are available within this program?
Roles within the Survivor Engagement Program can include anything from picking and packing to administration, trades, and service-related roles, such as those in law.
We’ll work closely with you to identify the best way to partner in this important work.
Do we have to make a long-term commitment?
No, you don’t. The success of this program relies on finding the right match. Survivors will start with short-term paid work experience that does not have to continue. If the placement goes well, you can choose to keep them on for a longer term in the same role, or trial another role. You are also able to work with a different candidate once the initial trial period has ended.
What if our business has never done something like this before?
No problem. We’re here to walk you through every step and help you build the confidence, knowledge, and structure to make it a success.
Can we start small?
Absolutely. Whether you’re ready to hire or just want to explore what’s possible, we welcome businesses at every stage of the journey.
Placements always start with short-term paid work experience, so you can trial the program before deciding whether to continue the engagement or not.
Is this only for large corporations?
No, businesses of all sizes can participate. Small and medium enterprises play a crucial role in inclusive employment and have made a huge impact through partnership.
Together, we can create a world where everyone, regardless of their past, has the opportunity to build a brighter future.
Are there risks invoved in hiring a survivor?
To reduce risk and ensure safety for both your organisation and the survivor, the survivor’s placement must remain confidential within and outside your organisation. We will work with you to select a workplace buddy (including training) for the survivor, and we’ll be there to support them throughout.
The initial engagement is a short-term paid work experience that allows you to identify whether you have a good fit.
Join the discussion
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