Young Women's Christian Association Regina

Published purpose

Through this 33-month systemic change project, Young Women's Christian Association Regina (YWCA Regina) will scale the YWCA Upstander Education Program to advance women’s economic security and prosperity. It will scale the program to an online training platform focused on the business community; and will redevelop and expand the program to First Nations communities in Treaty 4 territory. It will address unequal systemic consequences by engaging men and boys to challenge toxic masculinity, misogyny, and rape-culture and it will shift perceptions and drive the new adoption of policies to foster more equitable and safe environments for women and girls. To do so, the project will launch the Upstander program on an easily accessible digital platform; collaborate with the business community to include the Upstander program in HR trainings; and develop a sustainable funding model for the program. The project will also work closely with local First Nations, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and Language Keepers to redevelop the program and incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing and being and then expand in-person program delivery to First Nation communities in Regina and in Treaty 4 territory. By the end of the project, YWCA Regina will produce a final evaluation report to highlight the success and impact of their Upstander Education program delivery online and in First Nations communities. The organization will disseminate their findings with their community partners, various other stakeholders, and Saskatchewan communities in general. With the Supplemental funds and extension provided in early 2026, the YWCA Regina will expand its Upstander Training Program to include engagement with communities, within a three-hour travel radius of Indigenous reserves and rural communities with a focus on increasing prevention-based education to youth through engagement, trainings and local youth supports and events. Through this they will challenge harmful gender norms, strengthen youth leadership and allyship, increase culturally relevant supports, and expand equitable access to violence-prevention education in Indigenous and rural communities to further advance gender equality.