What is the Stepping UP program?

Stepping Up is a relationship violence prevention program intended to teach the MRU campus community about engaging in healthy relationships and recognizing the signs of unhealthy and abusive relationships. Mount Royal University recognizes the impact of gender-based violence on  the campus community and as a result has established the Stepping Up program.

 “Campus sexual violence (CSV) robs students of an environment to safely and confidently pursue educational endeavours and enriching experiences. Many survivors have to contend with the unacceptable disruption it causes, in addition to the adverse impact on their academic performance and physical and mental well-being. While experiences of sexual violence happen at an individual level, the problem is systemic.”

Council of Alberta University Students (2020)

Stepping Up uses peer-to-peer facilitation to connect students through a learning experience. Through the program, they explore topics of healthy relationships, unhealthy relationships, abuse, media, and sexual violence. As a participant, students are given a safe environment to increase their education on relationship violence by engaging in discourse with their peers through meaningful workshops. As a peer facilitator, Stepping Up, provides the opportunity for students to be actively engaged in the advocacy against gender-based violence.

 

Register to Attend the Stepping UP Program Workshop Series!

In this two-part workshop series, you can expect to learn about how to have healthy relationships, how the media influences relationships and perceptions on gender, how to intervene as a bystander, and what healthy sexual relationships look like!  

Join us in the Lincoln Park Room (J301) from 4:30 pm to 7:30pm on Wednesday, February 5th and 12th, 2025. Students who attend day one and two of the workshop series will receive a certificate of participation.

There is a research component of the Stepping UP Program and it has received clearance from the MRU Human Research Ethics Board (HREB) at hreb@mtroyal.ca. Students may choose to participate in the program without participating in the research component.

MRU Researchers:
Dr. Gaye Warthe 403-440-6441 or gwarthe@mtroyal.ca
Dr. Cathy Carter-Snell 403-440-6679 or ccartersnell@mtroyal.ca 

Space is limited!

 Register Here for the 2025 Stepping UP Workshop Series.