CASE STUDY

From working in silos to working together

Building the Oceania Freedom Network.

The challenge

Aotearoa’s anti-trafficking sector had committed people and organisations doing important work, but too often, they were working in isolation.

Organisations didn’t always know who else was working in the sector, what expertise existed, or where they could collaborate. Siloes, limited trust and competition made it difficult to share knowledge and work collectively.

At a sector hui facilitated in May 2024, the need for greater connection was clear. But so was the barrier.

Connecting the sector

Just Mercy stepped into that gap. Through the Oceania Freedom Network (OFN), we created an ongoing space for organisations and practitioners to connect, build relationships, share knowledge and identify opportunities for collective action.

The network began with monthly online meetings, followed later that year by another in-person gathering and specialist training with the US Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign.

Today, OFN meets bimonthly online, providing an established rhythm of connection, shared learning and collaboration across the sector.

What changed?

What began as a recognised need has become an established network connecting people and organisations across Aotearoa.

Regular connection creates the conditions for relationships and trust to grow, knowledge to be shared and opportunities for collaboration to emerge. Instead of organisations operating in isolation, there is now an ongoing mechanism for people across the sector to connect and learn from one another.