Me Learning has partnered with It’s a Penalty to develop and host a new safety awareness training platform as part of the organisation’s North America 2026 campaign.
Designed specifically for the public staying in private accommodation, the short, mobile-friendly learning experience helps users understand the risks of human trafficking and exploitation, recognise potential warning signs, and know how to respond safely and appropriately while travelling.
The training forms part of It’s a Penalty’s wider international awareness campaign, which aims to strengthen prevention efforts, increase public awareness, and provide clear pathways to support throughout the tournament period. Campaign messaging and educational resources will be shared throughout local cities on billboards, at the airport and hospitality venues ahead of the tournament taking place across North America in 2026.
Practical Learning Designed for Fans on the Move
Built with accessibility and real-world scenarios in mind, the learning experience has been designed to support fans throughout key stages of their journey, from arrival and accommodation check-in through to match-day travel and wider tourism activity.
The platform provides concise, engaging and practical guidance that can be accessed easily via mobile devices, helping the public understand how to identify concerning situations without placing themselves at risk. The learning experience also encourages everyone to better understand the role they can play in helping to create safer environments throughout the tournament period.
As part of the collaboration, Me Learning worked closely with It’s a Penalty to create and host the digital learning platform, ensuring the training remained accessible, scalable and easy to distribute through hospitality stakeholders and partner networks globally.
Supporting Safer Travel and Accommodation Experiences
It’s a Penalty’s North America 2026 campaign focuses on raising awareness of exploitation risks linked to large international sporting events and strengthening prevention efforts through training, public awareness initiatives and cross-sector collaboration.
The campaign delivers training for frontline employees and the general public to help individuals recognise signs of exploitation and respond safely, while also connecting people with trusted reporting and support resources. By equipping both industry professionals and travellers with practical knowledge, the initiative aims to encourage greater awareness and collective responsibility throughout the tournament.
For Me Learning, the partnership reflects the organisation’s ongoing commitment to using digital learning to support meaningful social impact initiatives. By combining accessible technology with engaging educational content, the collaboration demonstrates how online learning can be used to reach large and diverse global audiences quickly and effectively.
Lauren Wood, Women’s Sport Lead at Me Learning, said:
“We are proud to support It’s a Penalty in delivering this important initiative ahead of North America 2026.
By creating a learning experience that is practical, accessible and designed specifically for travellers, we hope to help raise awareness of exploitation risks and support safer travel and accommodation experiences throughout the tournament period.
This collaboration demonstrates how digital learning can be used not only to educate, but also to support meaningful social impact on a global scale.”
It’s a Penalty said:
“We’re excited to launch this new safety training tool as part of our North America 2026 campaign.
Designed for travellers staying in private accommodation, the training helps guests better understand the risks of human trafficking and exploitation, recognise potential concerns, and know how to respond safely and appropriately while travelling.
We are incredibly grateful to Me Learning for their collaboration in creating and hosting the platform, and to our hospitality stakeholder partners for helping us expand the reach and impact of this important initiative.”
The training will be distributed through It’s a Penalty’s global partner network and made available through the organisation’s website ahead of the tournament.
Together, the partnership aims to help create safer travel and accommodation experiences throughout North America 2026 while supporting broader efforts to raise awareness of exploitation risks connected to major international sporting events.
To find out more / if you have any questions feel free to get in contact with Lauren Wood at laurenwood@melearning.co.uk.
