Stepping Up is a research-based program that focuses on the prevention of relationship violence.
Stepping Up isn't about faculty members lecturing students on what is healthy, unhealthy and abusive in relationships and dating. The program is designed by students, for students. We recruit students to design and facilitate events because we know that students are experts in their own experiences, and therefore, can have the greatest impact on the MRU community.
According to the National College Health Assessment Survey (Warthe & Tutty, 2013), approximately one in three Mount Royal students have expressed some form of dating violence. As you explore this site and when you are involved in Stepping Up, you'll see that relationship violence can come in many shapes and forms. Click here to learn more about the different kinds of relationship violence and abuse.
Whether we know it or not, either ourselves or someone we love will experience some sort of violence- so let's learn how to help!
Stepping Up Participant 2019
Where Can You Find Us?
Stepping Up operates year-round with a variety of prevention events, workshops and initiatives. You can find us on mainstreet and around campus raising awareness of healthy, unhealthy and abusive behaviours in relationships and dating. We are also located in I151 with the Healthy Campus Team!
What Is The Stepping Up Workshop?
The Stepping Up Workshop is a relationship violence prevention program open to students at Mount Royal University. Bringing together students of all backgrounds, ages and genders, Stepping Up aims to break down barriers to healthy relationships. Interactive activities help participants identify the differences between healthy, unhealthy and abusive behaviours, and where to turn if they or someone they know needs help.
The Stepping Up Workshop consists of two key components:
By examining challenges students experience in all stages of dating and relationships, participants complete four modules developed by peer facilitators:
- Bystander Intervention
- Sexual Relationships
- Healthy Relationships
- Media in Relationships
Following the workshop, students form groups to create a community prevention project showcased virtually during the week of March 8th- 12th, 2021.
Community prevention projects can include anything from...
- creating a social media campaign
- organizing an awareness event on campus
- developing a relationship violence prevention display on mainstreet
- making an art piece that highlights key messages about relationship violence prevention
- ... or anything else your group thinks is relevant for MRU students to know about relationship violence prevention!
Participant groups are supported by the Stepping Up Program Coordinator, Peer Facilitators and Faculty Members to come up with ideas and organize logistics.
This is a chance to get creative and identify your specific areas of interest relating to awareness of healthy, unhealthy and abusive behaviours!
It may seem like an exaggeration when I say being a peer facilitator in Stepping Up changed my life, but I assure you it isn't... the energy during the weekends that facilitators met was incredible... the learning about myself, and those I was sharing space with was simply amazing.
Tiffany- Stepping Up Peer Facilitator
How Can You Get Involved?
Stepping Up Peer Facilitators contribute to a variety of prevention programming, including workshops, events and online initiatives. Topics include Healthy Relationships, Sexual Relationships, Media in Relationships, and Bystander Intervention. Peer Facilitators create modules for the Stepping Up workshop and support participants developing community projects, while contributing to awareness-raising campaigns on campus.
Commitment: 2-4 hours every two weeks
Training Requirement: Training requirement fulfilled during bi-weekly meetings.
Recruitment Period: March-September
As a Peer Facilitator you will...
- Participate in a year-long program, beginning in September and ending in April
- Attend the scheduled dates for development training opportunities
- Participate in monthly team meetings and/or events
- Develop and deliver informative workshops and events
- Support Stepping Up participants in developing and delivering prevention projects
- Contribute to a variety of prevention programming, including workshops, events and online initiatives
Benefits
- Peer facilitators who remain committed to the Stepping Up program in its entirety for the academic year receive an honorarium at the end of March
- Develop skills in dating, domestic and sexual violece prevention, and contribute to a safer campus community
- Gain further understanding and knowledge of dating, domestic and sexual violence as it pertains to university students
- Increase group facilitation skills
- Increase understanding of how to develop and implement program curriculum
- Receive several different trainings, including responding to disclosures of sexual assault, and group facilitation
- Certificate of participation
- Become recognized as a Mount Royal University Student Leader through the Leadership Model
- May gain volunteer or practicum hours (check with your program advisor to determine eligibility)
Applications are now open for the 2021-2022 academic year. Interviews will be conducted from July-September, and any applications collected prior to then will be contacted via your mtroyal.ca email address.
Fill out the application form here
For more information on becoming a Stepping Up Peer Facilitator, please email Katie Wotherspoon at kwotherspoon@mtroyal.ca.
The 2022 Stepping Up Workshop was held on Feb. 9th & Feb. 16th. Although registration is not open yet, you can follow @mrulivewell for updates on our upcoming events!
Email the Stepping Up Coordinator, Katie Wotherspoon at kwotherspoon@mtroyal.ca for questions or more information.
Workshop Learning Objectives
Students who attend the virtual Stepping Up Workshop will be able to...
- effectively analyze behaviours associated with healthy, unhealthy and abusive relationships
- raise awareness of how to prevent unhealthy and abusive behaviours in dating and relationships
- identify their role in providing informal support to those experiencing, or who have experienced, dating violence
- identify when consent can and cannot be given
- assess how social media influences relationship behaviours
- name resources on campus and in the community for those experiencing, or who have experienced, dating violence
Stepping Up participants have the opportunity to learn from their peers in the workshop sessions, before creating a community project in small groups to showcase the insights they gained!
Participation is voluntary and you can withdraw your consent to participate at any time. You may participate in the workshop without completing the research component if you choose.Stepping Up will be hosted online due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This project has received clearance from the MRU Human Resarch Ethics Board (HREB) at hreb@mtroyal,ca.
MRU Researchers:
Dr. Gaye Warthe 403-440-6441 or gwarthe@mtroyal.ca
Dr. Cathy Carter-Snell 403-440-6679 or ccartersnell@mtroyal.ca
The Stepping Up Program hosts a variety of mainstreet and on-campus events throughout the year. These events are intended to increase education of healthy, unhealthy and abusive behaviours in dating and relationships on campus.
Please check back for more information on upcoming events, or follow @mrulivewell on instagram to keep up with Stepping Up and Wellness Services initiatives!
Have an idea for a prevention event? Email Katie Wotherspoon at kwotherspoon@mtroyal.ca to see how we can collaborate!
Shows us that we are not alone- there are others out there who have experienced similar hardships & triumphs. Also brings awareness to [the] current social climate.
Stepping Up Participant 2019, in response to 'Why should people come to Stepping Up?'
If you have any questions or would like more information about anything on this page, please email Katie Wotherspoon at kwotherspoon@mtroyal.ca.
This program has a research component that has received clearance from the MRU Human Research Ethics Board at HREB at hreb@mtroyal.ca.
The information on this web page is intended for the Mount Royal community: students, staff and faculty.
Many thanks to the Government of Alberta, Ministry of Human Services for continued funding of the Stepping Up program.