In April 2024, the University of Alberta commissioned Possibility Seeds to provide key recommendations to help guide its Sexual Assault Centre’s (UASAC) programs and activities, building on three decades of support, service and education. Six months later, we are proud to present our external report featuring 42 comprehensive and actionable recommendations to support this critical work.
Read the full external report and explore the 42 recommendations here.
The recommendations span eight categories: organizational structure and staff support, protocols and procedures, core programs and services, support services, education program, volunteer program, community engagement and systemic advocacy, and building trust.
The Process
The report was informed by conversations with campus partners and community members, an extensive literature review and data from the 2023 Alberta Campus Climate Survey on Sexual and Gender-based Violence, as well as our 20+ years of national leadership and participation in campus sexual violence prevention. This work was participatory from start to finish. We collaborated with University of Alberta students, faculty, staff and UASAC volunteers to ensure the review was grounded in the needs and insights of those directly involved with the centre. Our guiding principles—curiosity, transparency, equity, co-design, and care—shaped our methodology and deliverables.
We dedicate this report to the many campus volunteers, community mentors, grassroots groups, university staff, community partners, and most importantly, the survivors who have built, nurtured and sustained the University of Alberta Sexual Assault Centre for over 30 years. We hope the deep roots you have planted continue to grow and flourish.
From Recommendations to Action
Successfully implementing these recommendations requires a demonstration of institutional courage, along with a commitment of additional resources beyond UASAC’s current operational and staffing budget. This investment is essential to build trust, strengthen the centre’s capacity, and ensure its long-term success.
Powerful work in this regard has already begun. Under the guidance of Dunsi Strohschein, Assistant Dean, the small and growing Community Wellness Supports team has started the important task of carefully reviewing and immediately integrating or actioning the recommendations according to resources available, and prioritizing additional exploration alongside student representatives and other internal and external community partners.
A Collective Responsibility
Some recommendations extend beyond the centre, applying to other departments and offices within the University of Alberta, the institution as a whole, and even the provincial government. Sexual violence and gender-based violence (SGBV) cannot be addressed in isolation; the centre can only thrive when there is a strong ecosystem of support for its vital work.