RISE Workshops
Respecting Individuals, Supporting Equity (RISE) Program
The RISE program is a suite of workshops that aims to foster an inclusive and equitable environment on campus by empowering students to recognize and challenge inequalities (from personal to systemic levels).
Through critical evaluation of social systems and identity frameworks, analysis of power dynamics, and identification of opportunities for personal intervention, RISE promotes active engagement in allyship and advocacy. The RISE program also provides you with the space to identify and reflect on aspects of your own social identity.
The program runs in three different levels of workshops:
- Level one: RISE equity topics.
- Level two: RISE identity reflection.
- Level three: RISE intervention and inclusion skill development.
By attending the selection of workshops, you'll have the opportunity to achieve the following outcomes:
- Recognize and Challenge Inequalities: Students will learn to spot and understand inequalities at both personal and systemic levels in different social and identity contexts.
- Take Personal Action and Advocate: Students will find ways to personally address barriers and actively support and advocate for others.
- Build Inclusive Communities: Students will use the knowledge and skills from the RISE program to help create positive and diverse communities on campus and beyond.
The RISE Program will resume fall 2025.
RISE Certificate
As an additional benefit of your participation in the RISE workshops, we offer students three different certifications at each level to show your participation in the RISE Program. In order to earn the certificates, you must complete the following:
Level one Certificate: RISE - Core Principles Certificate
Complete the following:
- Attend RISE: Let's Talk Equity (mandatory).
- Attend four out of seven RISE level one equity topics workshops.
Level two Certificate: RISE: Identity and Skills Certificate
Complete the following:
- Attend two RISE identity reflection workshops
- Complete accompanying activities via Google Classroom
Level three Certificate: RISE: Equity Advocate Certification
Complete the following:
- Attend two RISE Intervention and Inclusion skills development
- Complete accompanying activities via Google Classroom
Please note: You are responsible for ensuring that you record your attendance. Upon completion of a level, please email engagement@ontariotechu.ca.
If you are interested in learning more about levels two and three, please email engagement@ontariotechu.ca.
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Level one: Equity topics
Level one will resume in the fall 2025 semester
RISE: Lets Talk Equity
Participants will be introduced to bystander intervention skills that they can use to prevent and respond to discrimination and harassment. It is recommended that participants complete this workshop before attending other RISE workshops. (Mandatory for certificate)
RISE: Anti-Ableism
Participants will identify stereotypes targeting people with disabilities, and discuss known cases of discrimination and harassment that have targeted people with disabilities.
RISE: Anti-Racism
Participants will identify stereotypes targeting racialized people, and discuss known cases of discrimination and harassment that have targeted racialized communities.
RISE: Feminism
Participants will identify stereotypes targeting women and discuss the importance of feminism as a tool of action to challenge sexism.
RISE: Health Equity
Participants will learn about the various social determinants of health, and the impact that systems of oppression have on individual and group health.
RISE: Sexual Orientation
Participants will identify stereotypes based on sexual orientation (ie. lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, etc), and discuss known cases of discrimination and harassment that have targeted these communities.
RISE: Consent and Sexual Violence Prevention
Participants will identify ways that they can prevent, intervene and respond to sexual violence, and discuss topics such as rape culture, consent and the spectrum of sexual violence.
RISE: Trans Identities
Participants will discuss the oppression of the transgender community focusing and the role that gender stereotypes play in the creation and manifestation of misconceptions about gender.
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Level two: Identity reflection
Identify reflection
Level two will resume in the fall 2025 semester.
Interpersonal identity reflection: Me, myself and I
Participants will reflect on their own identity including their social location, the concepts of power, privilege and oppression related to their identity and intent versus impact- accepting and healing from guilt, shame and accountability as an individual.
Intrapersonal identity reflection: From I to we
Participants will explore how they connect to the social, cultural and identity-based groups that link to their personal identity and how those groups connect to larger systems and institutions in society.
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Level three: Intervention and inclusion skills development
Intervention and inclusion skills development
Level two will resume in the fall 2025 semester.
Bystander intervention skills
Participants will learn prevention, intervention and conflict management skills while participating in scenarios to demonstrate how they can use these skills when they observe discrimination, harassment or violence.
Allyship, advocacy and anti-oppression
Participants will develop skills related to how to be an effective ally and advocate related to each of the communities that we cover in our RISE Equity Topics Workshops by learning more about anti-oppression and connecting to their own power and privilege that comes with their identity.
