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Events, Initiatives and Training

Healthy us. Healthy campus. Rise and thrive at Ontario Tech.

Your Human Resources health and wellness supports and services, including the Healthy Workplace Committee are committed to providing the university community with opportunities to engage in activities that promote employee optimal health and well-being. Check out this web page often for updates on offerings that support a holistic approach to building a healthier workplace. 

Do you have an idea for an event, speaker or initiative? The Healthy Workplace Committee welcomes your input, email wellnessatwork@ontariotechu.ca.

Current and Upcoming

  • 2025 Just For the Health of it Photo Contest: Running until Friday, September 5

    People, Places, Pets and Pastimes

    To support the university’s commitment to a healthy workplace, the university’s Healthy Workplace Committee (HWC) is pleased to announce the annual photo contest!

    In response to feedback received, a new category has been added – pastimes! Get ready to snap photos of your favorite hobbies,  ways you relax, re-charge and/or compete!

    Photos should capture and clearly display images that fit into one of the following:  

    • Category A – People (Don’t forget work peers!)
    • Category B – Places
    • Category C – Pets
    • Category D – Pastimes

    Images must be accompanied by a caption identifying how the subject of the photo has supported your well-being. Tell us a little bit about your entry!

    The HWC will announce winning photos and award prizes in late September. 

    Please visit the Photo Contest web page for full contest details.

  • Ridgeback Run Club – Summer 2025

    Whether you’re preparing for the Chancellor’s Challenge or looking to get moving, join the Ridgeback Run Club (RRC)!  The RRC is open to all levels and runs rain or shine. 

    Upcoming Dates:

    • Wednesday July 9
    • Tuesday July 22
    • Thursday August 7
    • Wednesday August 20
    • Thursday August 28
    • September dates are to be determined

    Time: 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. (Start running at 12:16 p.m.)

    Location: Meet at the front doors of Shawenjigewining Hall (east side of the building)

    Get Active Questionnaire:
    We want you to have a safe and enjoyable run experience, so please complete the Get Active Questionnaire and email your completed copy to wellnessatwork@ontariotechu.ca prior to attending your first run.  If you answer ‘yes’ to any questions within the Questionnaire, please review the Reference Document. 

    Register Today!

  • Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training: Tuesday, July 22 & Wednesday, July 23

    Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is a two-day in-person workshop featuring powerful audio-visuals, discussions, and simulations. You'll learn how to recognize when someone might be thinking about suicide, and how to provide a skilled intervention and develop a safety plan with the person to connect them to further support. This workshop will increase your willingness, confidence, and capacity to provide suicide first aid.

    This training requires a minimum of 8 participants to occur.

    Audience: All faculty and staff
    Date: Tuesday, July 22 and Wednesday, July 23, 2025*
    Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
    Location: In-person, North Campus
    Rooms:
    • Day #1 of ASIST, Tuesday, July 22 will be in Campus Corners, room 2222
    • Day #2 of ASIST, Wednesday, July 23 will be in SCI 1240

    * Please note: Participants must attend both days to be certified.

    REGISTER FOR ASIST

  • Crucial Conversations: November 3 - 7 & November 10 - 14

    When it comes to the health of relationships, teams, and organizations, one thing affects everything: communication. Backed by 30 years of social science, Crucial Conversation skills represent the standard in effective communication. Improve your skills and get better outcomes by attending a training course.

    The communication skills taught in this training focus on a specific kind of interaction: those when stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong. This is not a course on winning friends or winning people to your way of thinking; it’s about strengthening relationships and securing results in the moments that matter most.

    This course teaches nine powerful skills for working through disagreement to achieve better resources: Get unstuck, Master my stories, Start with heart, State my path, Make it safe, Learn to look, Seek mutual purpose, Explore others’ paths, and Move to action.

    Crucial Conversations: Employees

      • Date: Monday, November 3, 2025 to Friday, November 7, 2025 (2.5 hours x 5 days)
      • Time: 9:30 a.m. to noon
      • Location: Virtual
      • Target Audience: Employees

    REGISTER

    Crucial Conversations: Managers/Directors

    • Date: Monday, November 10, 2025 to Friday November 14, 2025 (2.5 hours x 5 days)
    • Time: 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
    • Location: Virtual
    • Target Audience: Managers/Directors
      Note: Participants must attend all dates to receive their certificate.

    REGISTER 

Reoccurring

Learning and Development

Please contact Julie Day, Health and Disability Management Specialist, with questions or if you should require an accommodation in order to participate in any of the events.