Comprehensive Training: Sex Work Series
About SafeLink Alberta Comprehensive Training
SafeLink Alberta provides in-person, certificate-awarding training on topics related to sexual health and substance use for service providers in Calgary. Each course is tailored to your organization’s needs and emphasizes practical application, cultural competency, and advanced strategies. Participants learn through scenario-based practice, peer collaboration, and lived-experience speakers. Sessions cost $250–$750 and accommodate up to 30 participants.
An Introduction to Sex Work
Length: 2-2.5 Hours | Cost: $500
This foundational course is the first in a three-part series that provides a high-level overview of what sex work is, who sex workers are, and the diversity of work. This training is an essential first step in understanding the realities of sex work, encouraging participants to reflect on current discourse around sex work and recognize misinformation. The course offers key insights on how to support sex workers, informed by primary consultations and ongoing evidence-based practices.
Sex Work, Exploring Laws and Legislation
Length: 2-2.5 Hours | Cost: $500
The second in a three-part series, this training focuses on Alberta legislation and the realities of sex work. It will cover local, national, and international laws related to sex work, examining their impact on Alberta and Canadian sex workers. This training is designed to help participants understand the barriers that sex workers face in their everyday lives and how to better support them.
Sex Work and Sex Trafficking: Definitions, Differences, and the Need for Human Rights
Sex work and sex trafficking are often confused but are two separate issues. This post breaks down the differences, explores how anti-trafficking laws affect both sex workers and trafficking survivors, and aims to encourage informed discussions that support the rights and safety of sex workers.
Sex Work, from Stigma to Support
Length: 2-2.5 Hours | Cost: $500
The third part of this series will engage participants in critical discussions about the perceived risks of sex work. Attendees will unpack the stigma sex workers face, using insights from previous sessions to apply support strategies to their work. Participants will gain an understanding of the types of support sex workers are asking for, practical approaches to implement, and how we can stand in solidarity with the community.
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We offer many more trainings on topics related to substance use and sexual health. Visit our training page to view our full list of offerings.
Learn How to Address Barriers
The service needs of sex workers are too often misunderstood or conflated with approaches and interventions designed for those being exploited or trafficked. Rooted in evidence and trauma-informed care, SafeLink Alberta’s Shifting Perspectives: Addressing Barriers to Care for Sex Workers in Alberta dives deep into the reality of sex work and sex worker’s needs in Alberta to counter misinformation and stigma at a personal, social, and systemic level.
Take all three training sessions listed above to receive a complimentary toolkit and practical application workshop!
Amplifying voices within the local sex work community, this unapologetic resource offers health and social service providers insights into seeing sex workers as people within their chosen profession and strategies to establish trust and improve quality of service. At its core, this toolkit aims to shift your perspective away from harmful assumptions and to provide a path toward equitable care.