Stride ADVOCACY

 
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Stride Advocacy began as a partnership effort in 2017 to embed and strengthen volunteer community based advocacy in amiskwacîwâskahikan, aka Edmonton, in Treaty 6 Territory. After a year of effort, Stride expanded its network across the province of Alberta and continues to grow today serving community members who are seeking remedy to human rights violations. 

Stride is a program focused on building capacity through training of community members in rights based advocacy, sustaining a network of trained volunteer advocates to support community members in self advocacy on human rights issues, and building collaboration among agencies on systemic issues. 

Stride is and will continue to grow into a larger provincial and national community of advocates. We aim to connect people and resources throughout the province and country. We are a network of advocates and organizations that provide support to anyone in need in Alberta and oftentimes beyond.

Who is a Stride Advocate? 

A Stride Advocate is a volunteer community member who takes the time and has the compassion to support people in the community through creating and holding space for dialogue and sharing without judgment or fear. 

Our goal as Advocates is to ensure that community members have a space where they feel heard, are believed, and are not alone. We seek to be client-directed and create opportunities for new paths. We work to create a safety net for the community and act as a space for people who are struggling to be heard and to identify their desired outcomes in their current situations.  

Through this work, Stride Advocates work to build bridges and break down barriers and stereotypes, particularly within government, legal, and social systems. Advocates walk the gray areas of these systems and work to see the broader perspectives and root causes to the issues that impact people in their daily lives.

Resources

  1. Stride Talks: Our Stride Talks series is a collection of community learning sessions. We invited Alberta organizations and agencies who shared how they support and provide resources to our collective community. These sessions were delivered virtually and focused on the intersections of poverty, racism, discrimination and community based support

Get Involved in Stride Advocacy

We have two key roles - Stride Advocates and Stride Case Managers.

  1. To become a Stride Advocate or Stride Case Manager, please sign up on Volunteer Connect

  2. If you are an agency or community organization seeking training or wanting to be part of systemic collaboration on human rights issues, email us at info@jhcentre.org. Or give us a call at +1-825-480-5337.

Training

Stride has two training sessions available to support capacity building in human rights advocacy:

  • This three day intensive training will provide the opportunity to engage in hands-on learning to strengthen capacity to monitor, document and advocate on human rights issues as well as promote remedy, healing, and justice in the community. In this training, community-based advocates will learn about obligations and commitments to human rights; international treaties, systems and the architecture of human rights; understanding of discrimination and the key elements of writing and filing a human rights complaint; knowledge of other mechanisms to address human rights issues; gain tools in individual and systemic advocacy; and, identify connections to resources that support advocacy work. Those who attend the full advocacy skills training will receive Stride Advocacy certification verifying the skills gained during the training session upon completion.

  • Getting to the roots of poverty is a complex interplay of factors and is not easily addressed by quick fix solutions. A rights-based approach to poverty can provide an important lens through which a collaborative commitment to effective and efficient action can take place. In addition to learning about a human rights framework, this two day training will provide learnings on anti-oppression and engage participants in identifying pathways forward to build a human rights community. The goal of this effort will be to equip community members with skills, capacity and tools to support vulnerable community members.

These trainings are helpful for:

  • Community agency workers who want to be able to better support the community.

  • Community members and leaders in the community who are advocating and supporting community members.

  • People experiencing human rights violations who want to learn how to self advocate and push forward on their concerns.

  • People wanting to contribute to their community and provide their time to support human rights issues.

Human Rights Advocacy Training in Lethbridge, Alberta (2022)

 

Human Rights Advocacy Training in Winnipeg, Manitoba (2023)

 
 
 


Our Partners

  • Coalition for Justice and Human Rights: The objects for which the CJHR is established are: (a) Act as a collaboration space on human rights advocacy, both individual and systemic, and use the tools of human rights to demand accountability. (b) Act as a learning and sharing network for knowledge and experience that supports capacity building in advocacy. (c) Act as a space to share our resources and lend support to each other. (d) Act as an information gathering space and facilitate community based research that supports advocacy efforts.

  • Apiistamiiks White Buffalo Trailblazers: The Apiistamiiks - White Buffalo Trail Blazers has been formed to offer Southern Alberta a safe place to report racist/hate incidents. We are a group who are here to meet with community members and hear incidents of racism and hate. We will record and keep track of all incidents. We will offer emotional support, and help write letters of complaint and give you a safe place to discuss your concerns. We are taking a stand against RACISM. We want to keep this group at a grassroots level so that community members can feel safe and supported when reporting racist incidents. We want to make sure we offer support and remain non-judgmental in our dealings. We are guided by the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and the TRC. We agree to follow our Blackfoot ontological responsibilities and utilize our elders and mentors as needed.

  • Self Advocacy Federation: The Self-Advocacy Federation is an organization comprised of people with disabilities and their allies who get together to discuss the issues facing people with disabilities. We are the leaders of today and tomorrow. We are proud to be who we are. We are an organization that helps people understand their rights and show them how to stand up for themselves. We speak up for others and support each other, and solve problems. We also get together to talk and learn from each other, as well as from PDD or guest speakers. We help out in our communities by volunteering and working at jobs. We partner with other groups in the community as well. We choose our own allies. We take any chance we can to educate people about people with Disabilities.

  • Voices of Albertans with Disabilities: The Voice of Albertans with Disabilities actively promotes full participation in society and provides a voice for Albertans with disabilities.

  • Elizabeth Fry Society of Edmonton: “We advance the dignity and worth of all women and girls who are or may be at risk of becoming criminalized.”

  • Alberta Hate Crimes Committee: “As a collaboration of community, law enforcement, justice and human rights institutions, the Alberta Hate Crimes Committee seeks to bring comprehensive insight to issues of incidents and crime motivated by hate in Alberta.”

  • Native Counselling Services of Alberta: Native Counselling Services of Alberta’s mission is to promote the resilience of the Aboriginal individual and family, through programs and services that are grounded in reclaiming our interconnectedness, reconciliation of relationships and self determination.

  • Tribal Chief Ventures Inc: “Tribal Chiefs Ventures Inc. is federally incorporated as a not-for-profit organization and is a federally recognized Tribal Council with its head office located at the Beaver Lake Cree Nation. Tribal Chiefs Ventures Inc. is governed by the Chiefs of the six member First Nations who make up the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors meet twice a month and at other times as necessary to provide direction and approval of business transactions in all program areas and initiatives. The current member First Nations are Beaver Lake Cree Nation, Cold Lake First Nations, Frog Lake First Nations, Heart Lake First Nation, Kehewin Cree Nation, and Whitefish Lake First Nation No. 128.”