2025 Bow Valley Workplace Inclusion Charter

Commitment #16:

Upstander Training

Enroll at least 50% of staff or 5 leaders in Upstander Training.


See below on this page for details about how to complete this commitment.

⚠️ Instructions To Complete This Commitment:

Commitment: Enroll at least 50% of staff or 5 leaders in Upstander Training.

Please complete all of the below requirements.

Part 1: Complete Upstander Training

Enroll either a minimum of 5 staff members or 50% of full-time staff in YWCA Banff Upstander Training, and complete the training session by December 1st, 2025.

  • Employers may meet this requirement by choosing the option that requires the lower number of staff to participate. For example:

    • Organizations with three employees need to send at least two to attend.

  • Organization with five employees need to send at least three to attend.

  • Organizations with nine or more employees would need to send at least five employees to attend.

  • Collect and be prepared to share evidence that all staff were encouraged to attend the training as their availability and operational requirements permit. An example of this could include a staff-wide email that invites people to participate on paid time.

Training Options:

  • Option 1: Community Training - YWCA Banff will offer free Upstander Training workshops to the community throughout the year. WIC signatories will be informed via the WIC Signatory Basecamp Group as dates for the workshops are announced.

  • Option 2: Customized Training - Employers may book a customized paid session that will be tailored to meet the specific needs of your workplace. If your workplace is interested in this option, please contact avery@ywcabanff.ca.

Returning signatories who completed this commitment in 2024:

  • Attend a roundtable discussions hosted by YWCA Banff around how to respond to a disclosure of sexual violence and understanding the pyramid of violence and how violence is perpetuated.

  • These roundtable discussions should include frontline staff and managers. 

  • We will announce dates soon.

Part 2: Post-Training Survey

  • After your employees have completed the Upstander Training, ensure they have completed the post-training survey.

Submit Evidence When You have Completed This Commitment

  • Evidence should include your communication to staff inviting them to attend the training, documentation of attendance at the training, and the post training survey.

  • Once you have completed each of the above requirements, upload your evidence using our online form as soon as possible. This allows time for review and feedback.

  • Evidence may be in the form of a document, email, newsletter, meeting minutes, social media post, etc.

  • Deadline to submit all evidence for the 2025 WIC: 3PM, Monday, December 1st, 2025.

⏰ Key Dates:

Important dates to remember:

  • By December 1st, 2025: Deadline to complete 2025 WIC commitments and submit all evidence.

✅ Why This Commitment Is Important:

Upstander training equips participants with the ability to recognize and disrupt sexual violence, including sexual harassment, at its roots. This training also promotes a stronger understanding of consent and provides a framework to analyze when consent is, and isn’t, present.

Upstander Trainings also offer participants a selection of actionable tools that may be used to safely intervene in situations where sexual violence is identified. 

This 3-hour training is intended for a broad audience and is applicable for all staff positions.

Free Upstander community trainings are offered throughout the year, or the workplace can coordinate a private fee-for-service training at their workplace.

Intended Outcomes:

  1. Increased awareness of sexual violence and Consent
    Staff gain a clear understanding of what sexual harassment is, how it shows up at work, and when consent is present or absent.

  2. Stronger capacity to safely intervene
    Staff are equipped with practical tools to recognize and respond to harmful behaviours, helping prevent escalation and support a safer workplace.

  3. A more respectful and supportive workplace culture
    Upstander training fosters a culture of accountability, where all team members play a role in creating a workplace free from sexual violence

📝 Resources:

  • Option 1: Community Training - YWCA Banff will offer free Upstander Training workshops to the community throughout the year. We will let WIC signatories know when the workshop dates are on the WIC Signatory online platform, Basecamp.

  • Option 2: Customized Training - Employers may book a customized Upstander Training paid session that will be tailored to meet the specific needs of your workplace. If your workplace is interested in this option, please contact avery@ywcabanff.ca.

📧 Contact:

Supporting Agency

For questions and support to complete this commitment, please contact:

YWCA Banff

Avery Levesque (he/him)

Manager of Community Programs

Email: avery@ywcabanff.ca