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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

RISE Workshops

Respecting Individuals, Supporting Equity (RISE) Program

The RISE program is a suite of workshops that aims to increase knowledge for students related to equity, inclusion, consent and respect, while also building skills related to bystander interventions, advocacy, allyship, and anti-oppression. 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 streams of workshops:

  • Stream one: RISE equity topics.
  • Stream two: RISE identity reflection.
  • Stream three: RISE intervention and inclusion skill development. 

By attending the selection of workshops, you'll have the opportunity to achieve the following outcomes: 

  • Apply intervention, advocacy, and allyship skills to equity-related scenarios demonstrating how you can prevent and respond when you observe discrimination, harassment or violence.
  • Describe the foundational terms of equity and inclusion as related to the session topics you elect to attend.
  • Explain how aspects of your identity connect to the power, privilege and oppression you face as an individual, and within your social groups.

RISE Certificate

As an additional benefit of your participation in the RISE workshops, we offer students the opportunity to earn a RISE Certificate confirming attendance and participation in the RISE Program. In order to earn the certificate, you must complete the following:

  • Attend RISE: Let's Talk Equity (mandatory)
  • Attend RISE: First Peoples intro; Shifting the narrative (mandatory) 
  • Attend 3 out of 7 RISE equity topics workshops (stream one)
  • Attend 1 out of 2 RISE identity reflection workshops (stream two)
  • Attend 1 out of 2 RISE inclusion skill development workshops (stream three)
  • Complete RISE culminating project

Please note: You are responsible for ensuring that you record your attendance. To register for the certificate, please fill out the certificate validation form and a staff member will contact you throughout the semester. 

  • Stream one: Equity topics
    Check back soon for upcoming dates!
  • Stream two: Identity reflection

    If you are interested in learning more about streams two and three, as well as the culminating project to earn a RISE certificate, please email engagement@ontariotechu.ca.

    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.  

  • Stream three: Intervention and inclusion skills development

    If you are interested in learning more about streams two and three, as well as the culminating project to earn a RISE certificate, please email engagement@ontariotechu.ca.

    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.