LifePlan Launch - New Beginnings

Discover your life’s unique purpose and develop a strategy to live it out. LifePlan Launch is an online, integrated course that will empower you to build a visionary future with tangible next steps. You’ll leave this class with a clear, personalized action plan to help you go after your dreams and make your greatest impact in the world.

Professional Development

Put your LifePlan into motion and equip yourself with the professional knowledge you need to thrive and succeed. We’re giving you all of our best tips and insight for professional development in this four-week core class. From interpersonal communication to business etiquette and everything in between, you’ll move forward from this class with the confidence to go after the career you’re dreaming of.

Advanced Professional Development

Elevate Academy's course on Advanced Professional Development specializes in Advanced Business skills, Emotional Intelligence, and Intellectual Property. This class will empower you to discover how to transform your unique talents into a specialized niche to leverage your visibility for business growth.

Budgeting

This introductory financial course will equip you to take control of your money. Money is a tool, and the fundamental topics in this course will teach you to control your money rather than your money controlling you! Covering everything from basic budgeting to bank accounts to establishing sound financial goals, this class will empower you with the knowledge to support your vision for the future.

Business 101

Get a head start on how to navigate some of the more challenging aspects of owning your own business. In this class, you’ll get an overview of what it means to work as an employee vs a contractor, understand how that decision impacts your bottom line, our best tips on how to build a strong team, and more. Most business owners learn these things as they go, but we’re giving you a peek behind the curtain as you venture into the world of small business.

Finding Your Specialty - Working in the Human Trafficking Field

Your story matters, and if you decide to use your strengths and experience to fuel your impact in the anti-human trafficking movement, this class is for you. We’ll help you focus on where to spend your energy, discover what makes your heart sing, give you tips on developing a platform and brand, and much more! Match your lived experience with your passions and education to find your lane - we’ll help you get there.

Non-Profit pt 1: Setup

Learn about the initial things you need to know to launch a non-profit that makes an impact in the world. Running a non-profit comes with so much more than building a platform. Learn about daily operations, legal foundations, getting donations, and building trust within your organization. This course gives you an overview of your first steps as you prepare to launch.

Non-Profit pt 2: Management

Continue your path towards launching a non-profit organization and learn important key skills when it comes to operations, donor engagement, and a development strategy.

Speaker U

Craft your message and share it with the world as a professional speaker. You have a story to share and know that telling it changes everything. How do you communicate your story so it will bring change? What does it take to craft your message, share it with the world, join or create a network to get bookings, and start speaking publicly? We will equip you with the tools you need to tell your story and impact the lives of those around you.

Page to Published

Impact the world with the written word. Learn how to overcome writer’s block, figure out what to write about, and how to choose between independent and traditional publishing. Take your story from page to published as Rebecca shares her secrets behind multiple books published, launched, and successfully marketed to the world.

What is Elevate Academy?

Elevate Academy is an online school that serves survivors of human trafficking by focusing on professional development and economic empowerment. Our innovative courses and Live Discussions are exclusively focused on preparing survivors to fulfill their career dreams. Whether they are creating a life plan, learning leadership skills, or preparing for a job interview, Elevate Academy offers everything our students need to take the next step towards a new start.

How does Elevate work?

We offer incoming students a 12-week program, during which time they complete 3 classes (two core classes and one elective) to graduate. After graduation, students are encouraged to pursue further learning and are granted lifetime access to our complete library of elective classes and post-graduate opportunities. Elevate students also receive exclusive newsletters that contain opportunities to apply for jobs, pursue further education, opportunities for career exploration, and webinars and conferences to enrich their development.

What are Live Discussions?

Elevate Academy weekly discussions are held live, online in a private group, a cohort of fellow peers. Each meeting is facilitated by an experienced faculty member. The group discussions are centered around each weekly lesson.

Who can Apply to Elevate Academy?

Elevate is available for adults over the age of 18 who are Survivors of any form human trafficking, such as labor, sex, pimp-controlled, gang-controlled, familial or survival-related exploitation. All students are asked to complete a self-assessment of their current circumstances, read and acknowledge the learning requirements, and fill out a complete registration form before being enrolled. It is required for each applicant to have been removed from their trafficking and/or exploitative situation for at least one year and have reliable access to the Internet for weekly Live Discussions.

What is the cost to enroll in Elevate?

Elevate Academy is free to all survivors of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. All courses, opportunities, and the Welcome Box are provided at no cost to students.

What’s included?

Courses are available for all students (2 core courses + 1 Elective to graduate.) This includes live online weekly discussions, specialized curriculum, and lifetime access to all electives after graduation. Unique opportunities are shared with students on our social media platform and we send a monthly newsletter shared featuring job and educational opportunities. Students are also provided with a dedicated graduation ceremony, post-grad opportunities, and the option of life coaching.

When is registration open for students?

Registration will open June 17, 2024.

I just missed the registration deadline. Can I still apply?

Of course! If you missed our deadline, simply let us know you’re interested in signing up for our next semester by completing this form and we will let you know when registration opens.

What do I need once my application is completed?

We recommend checking the semester schedule to find the best start date for you. Keep in mind you will need to commit to at least 2 hours per week to complete your courses for graduation. When deciding if you can accommodate the time required to complete your classes, be sure and allocate time for watching course content, completing homework and participating in an hour long, weekly live Live Discussions for 12 consecutive weeks. Once you’ve decided on the semester you want, we’ll take it from there! When it’s time to start, we will send you everything you’ll need to know to kick off your coursework and join your classmates for the semester. Keep in mind that once you complete your 12 consecutive weeks and graduate with your cohort, you will have lifetime access to Electives that you may take at your own pace.

What if I can’t attend Live Discussion Meetings?

Our Live Discussions are a key ingredient to the success of our program and we require each student to attend at least one weekly Live Discussion for each course in order to graduate. If you cannot attend any live online weekly meetings, we suggest that you delay your registration for a future semester. We are happy to discuss this requirement if a special situation arises.

What if I was previously in Elevate Academy and want to rejoin?

Your Elevate Academy membership never expires. If you attended the Academy prior to 2022, you will be able to re-enroll in our new learning platform and check out our new core courses and electives. You will be enrolled alongside other new students and alumni on the same path to graduation.

Do you provide housing, benefits, legal aid, and other resources for survivors through Elevate Academy?

We are not equipped to provide those resources. Elevate Academy is a virtual professional development school and online community for survivors of trafficking. If you are not a former or current student and you are in need of additional resources or support, we recommend you call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888.

Does Elevate Academy provide free support groups or trauma counseling?

Elevate Academy does not employ licensed mental health clinicians. If you are not a current or former student and you are looking for additional resources or support, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888.

Does Elevate Academy offer crisis response?

Elevate does not provide crisis response services. If you are in need of immediate help please call 911. If you are in need of resources such as shelter and safety we suggest calling the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888 to be connected to services in your area.

What if I am unable to participate in the survivor community's private groups on social media?

No problem! All opportunities shared in our private group will also be emailed to our students once a month.

What if I'm unsure if I'm actually a survivor of human trafficking?

If you’re not sure if what you experienced was human trafficking, we’re happy to connect with you so you can know for sure. Please email us at elevate@rebeccabender.org and a staff member will walk you through some basic questions so that you can confirm for yourself if your experience was trafficking.

Can I receive college or CE credit for Elevate Academy's courses?

At this time, completing Elevate Academy's courses earn you a Professional Development certificate that employers can choose to accept as Continuing Education and/or Professional Development credit. Our courses are not yet accredited, however, some students have found success with their local college by showing their Dean or Professors our syllabus and course workbooks for relevant subjects, such as Business101 or NonProfit Setup & Management.

How do I integrate Elevate Academy into my organization or residential program for trafficking survivors?

Please contact us for more information at elevate@rebeccabender.org so we can gather additional details about your specific program and discuss potential licensing options through Elevate Connect.

I would love to partner with Elevate!

If you have job or internship opportunities, if you are a business owner interested in mentoring our students, or if you have any other resource that you believe we would benefit from, please contact us at elevate@rebeccabender.org for additional details and to discuss a potential collaborative partnership. We’re honored you are considering us and can’t wait to talk to you!

Can I get an appointment with Rebecca directly?

Please email us at info@rebeccabender.org and let us know more about your request.

What hours are Elevate staff available?

The Elevate Academy staff is available Monday through Thursday, 9 AM to 5 PM Pacific Time (10-6 Mountain, 11-7 Central, 12-8 Eastern). We are out of office Fridays through Sundays. Messages and emails received Friday-Sunday will be responded within 1 to 2 business days upon our return to work on Mondays.