Action Plans
Advocacy | Equity | Sustainability
OVERVIEWPutting students first, always.
IGNITE is committed to consistently improving our ability to serve our students. That’s why we have created action plans to provide a framework and timeline for the work we do to benefit the students we represent. These action plans cover our efforts to advance advocacy, equity and sustainability at Humber College, the University of Guelph-Humber and beyond.
In the interests of staying accountable to our stakeholders and to ourselves, you can find details on all three plans below.
Creating a better life for students.
IGNITE is committed to improving student life across multiple factors, including (but not limited to) affordable education, financial aid, food accessibility, increased supports for equity-deserving groups and increased student representation on decision-making committees.
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Critical Action |
IGNITE’s Desired Outcome |
Status |
|
Push for all external student placements to include compensation. Meet with faculty placement advisors to create a framework as well as research and consult with organizations that can accommodate paid placement opportunities. |
Increased paid internship opportunities and an increase in students compensated for their labor (wages, free meals, transportation, accommodations, honorarium). Support students’ cost of living while valuing their contribution. |
In planning stage |
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Fight for a transparent and predictable tuition framework, particularly for international students by working with CSA to mandate tuition freezes for international students. |
Increase transparency for tuition framework for both domestic and international students. Make tuition equitable for international students. |
In progress |
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Work with Humber College and UofGH to offer more affordable textbooks, course materials and other trainings. Research alternative options to identify how to reduce textbook cost. |
Increase access and affordability of textbooks, course materials, and other trainings. |
In planning stage |
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Advocate for increased student participation in program reviews and to expand student participation to ensure the student learning experience is central to transparent decision-making. |
Facilitate conversations between students and Admin/Faculty to expand the academic and learning community’s understanding of one another. |
In progress |
|
Work with Humber College and UofGH to increase financial resources to support students in need and those who are experiencing emergency hardship by evaluating financial aid/relief criteria to explore opportunities for creating a more accessible application or assessment process that is centralized and transparent. |
More financial resources for students in need; a more robust application and assessment process. |
In progress |
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Advocate for expanded culturally and racially-relevant student supports for equity-deserving students by conducting at least one listening session with BIPOC, 2SLGBTQ, and other equity- deserving students. Work with the institution on the EDI framework to ensure there is student involvement and participation.
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Create more meaningful partnerships and programming to expand support for equity deserving students and increase inclusivity. |
In progress |
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Critical Action |
IGNITE’s Desired Outcome |
Status |
|
Work with campus partners to increase access to affordable, culturally-diverse foods and combat food security by taking a deeper dive into Humber’s food/beverage providers and discussing alternative options in bi-weekly meetings. |
Increase in healthier and cultural food options that also support food security as well as dietary and religious restrictions. |
In planning stage |
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Collaborate with institutional partners to increase leadership opportunities. (Ex: Humber Leadership Academy, First-Year Experience (FYE), BSSE, Co-Curricular Record (CCR)). Survey students to discover new leadership opportunities they would like to participate in. |
Increased leadership opportunities that enhance students’ CCR and resumes. |
In planning stage |
|
Critical Action |
IGNITE’s Desired Outcome |
Status |
|
Champion formal student representation on all institutional committees and help develop student leaders to be sound voices at committees to ensure students are equally represented. |
Lead and train IGNITE part-time staff to be qualified student leaders and valuable voices at the table. |
In planning stage |
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Leverage technology, tools and platforms to support self-advocacy and to help students shape their own on-campus experience through stakeholder consultations. Help communicate the IT department digital equity initiatives to increase utilization and understanding. |
Help students identify digital tools and platforms that will enhance their on-campus experience. |
In planning stage |
Fostering a sense of belonging.
We promise to create a more equitable and inclusive environment within IGNITE while creating stronger supports for our students from all equity-deserving groups.
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Critical Action |
IGNITE’s Desired Outcome |
Status |
|
Commit to rolling out and/or expanding education that addresses unconscious bias and anti-Black systemic racism within IGNITE by implementing additional and mandatory IGNITE staff EDI-related training to accompany those provided by Humber’s Centre for Human Rights Equity & Diversity (CHRED). |
Increased staff knowledge regarding unconscious bias and anti-Black systemic racism helping to make equity a universal competency. |
Complete |
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Incorporate EDI as a separate and consistent item in our organization strategic plans ensuring it is an area of focus within each category. |
Plan is approved by the IGNITE Board of Directors. |
Complete |
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Critical Action |
IGNITE’s Desired Outcome |
Status |
|
Implement specific hiring goals for IGNITE’s student workforce from the Black community. Share job opportunities with Humber CHREI, Indigenous Education & Engagement (IE&E), Black Student Support & Engagement (BSSE), and LGBTQ+ Resource Centre to share with student membership; incorporate language in job postings that explains that priority will be given to BIPOC candidates. |
At least 10% of our student workforce identifying as Black. |
Complete |
|
Host organization-wide listening sessions with the BSSE, LGBTQ Resource Centre and IE&E to increase our efforts to make our workplaces trusting places to have conversations about anti-Black systemic racism and ensure that no barriers exist to prevent Black employees from advancing within the company. |
A working environment with an improved feeling of safety and belonging. |
In progress |
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Promote investment and create economic opportunities in the Black community at Humber and UofGH by allocating 10% of IGNITE Advocacy & Leadership revenues to BIPOC initiatives like scholarships/awards, Black Excellence Conference, listening sessions, etc. |
Meaningful financial contribution toward BIPOC-focused initiatives and services. |
Complete |
|
Create and maintain an on-campus environment that fosters open dialogue by working with Humber’s Campus Culture committee to develop student-centric anti-racism trainings, roundtables, workshops and conferences. |
A community with an improved feeling of safety and belonging. |
In progress |
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Collect data on race and ethnicity, including from Black employees, and commit to developing and advancing Black people within our organization. Ensure inclusion of EDI-related goals in performance evaluation across all senior executives. |
A well-balanced organization that reflects the mosaic of the community. |
Complete |
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Increase the number of Black leaders at the Board level, as well as at senior management and executive levels, by working through the BlackNorth Initiative to attract and retain talent from the Black community. Ensure that Black communities across the GTA are aware of full-time employment opportunities within our organization. |
Minimum of 3.5% of IGNITE Board Directors, Student Advocates and senior management roles held by Black leaders. |
Complete |
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Critical Action |
IGNITE’s Desired Outcome |
Status |
|
Promote investment and create economic opportunities for equity-deserving communities at large by committing to 3.5% of all suppliers and consultants identifying as being from an equity-deserving group. |
A minimum of 3.5% of all IGNITE suppliers and consultants identifying as being from an equity-deserving group. |
In progress |
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Keep the student community and sector colleagues informed of our challenges/success through an impact report. |
Be a leader in our sector and help others evolve and enhance their current diversity strategies.
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In planning stage |
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Critical Action |
IGNITE’s Desired Outcome |
Status |
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Build inclusive IGNITE leadership teams that are representative of the communities we serve. |
A well-balanced organization that reflects the mosaic of the community. |
In planning stage |
Achieving a more sustainable future.
The Sustainability Action Plan formalizes and strengthens IGNITE’s commitment to making conscious improvements to our environmental impact. By recognizing all its relations, IGNITE has set an intention to work alongside the entire Humber/UofGH community towards achieving a more sustainable future.
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Critical Action |
IGNITE’s Desired Outcome |
Status |
|
Provide annual sustainability training for all IGNITE staff and student leaders. Training to be provided by Humber’s Office of Sustainability (OoS). |
Increase staff and student leader awareness, knowledge and appreciation of sustainability. |
Complete |
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Use a sustainability lens in decision-making according to the definition of sustainability highlighted in the introduction. |
Staff trained on how decision-making can be informed by sustainability values. |
In progress |
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Appoint a Sustainability Representative at IGNITE. |
The Representative will sit on Humber’s Sustainability Steering Committee and will keep track of IGNITE progress on this Plan’s Critical Actions. As our internal champion, the Representative serves as the link between the Committee to IGNITE, working with the CEO to execute all components of the Plan. |
Complete |
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Support Indigenous Education & Engagement (IE&E) on an ongoing basis to promote Indigenous knowledge and traditions that emphasize sustainability. |
Enhance partnership with IE&E to promote Indigenous leadership and awareness. |
In progress |
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Critical Action |
IGNITE’s Desired Outcome |
Status |
|
Directly or indirectly, gather data on students’ perception of sustainability topics, current level of knowledge, and interest areas. |
Design sustainability-themed initiatives that meet students’ interests and knowledge level. |
In progress |
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Support and lead awareness campaigns/events related to sustainability (e.g., Sustainability/Arboretum peer-to-peer programs, food insecurity, waste reduction). |
Enhance partnership with OoS and other Equity Hubs to promote sustainability. |
In progress |
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Report all IGNITE sustainability initiatives and environmental impact information annually on IGNITE’s website and within IGNITE’s Impact Report. |
Increase public awareness on IGNITE’s own sustainability practices and environmental impact. |
In progress |
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Work with campus partners to address food insecurity issues. |
Advance food security and food justice on campus. |
In progress |
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Audit the amount of waste generated and environmental impact IGNITE’s activities have with the intent of future reduction. |
Decrease IGNITE’s waste and environmental impact. |
In progress |
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Critical Action |
IGNITE’s Desired Outcome |
Status |
|
Advocate with Campus Services to increase the percentage of food and beverage expenditures on products that are sustainably or ethically produced. |
Frequent updates from Campus Services on origin of food and beverage purchased. Increased sustainable options. |
In planning stage |
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Develop and adhere to an IGNITE Sustainable Toolkit for events and meetings such this: https://bit.ly/3sVmVPa |
Increase sustainability of events and meetings on campus. |
In planning stage |
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Critical Action |
IGNITE’s Desired Outcome |
Status |
|
Advocate for more affordable Good Food options available at all cafeterias alongside Campus Services and OoS. Good Food “fundamentally respects human dignity and health, animal welfare, social justice and environmental sustainability” (Office of Sustainability). |
Increase availability of affordable Good Food options at all cafeterias. |
In planning stage |
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Evaluate IGNITE’s expenditure on Social Procurement, specifically branded merchandise. |
Creation of a baseline % to be spent on small, sustainable and/or diverse vendors. |
In progress |
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Audit the amount of waste generated and environmental impact IGNITE’s activities have with the intent of future reduction. |
Decrease IGNITE’s waste and environmental impact. |
In progress |
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Critical Action |
IGNITE’s Desired Outcome |
Status |
|
Create a Social Procurement Policy for IGNITE that supports social goals through the purchasing of goods and services. |
Social Procurement Policy approved by IGNITE’s Board of Directors. |
In planning stage |
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Set a target for Social Procurement for IGNITE. |
Approval of a target spend of 3.5% on small, sustainable and/or diverse vendors. |
In planning stage |
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Create an Investment Policy for IGNITE that support social goals through a portfolio of only sustainable and ethical investments. |
Investment Policy approved by IGNITE’s Board of Directors. |
In planning stage |
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Lead the creation of permanent indoor green spaces at each campus. |
Increase the number of indoor areas connecting students with nature. |
In planning stage |
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Support IE&E in the creation of outdoor spaces that encourage connection to Indigenous knowledge and traditions. |
Increase the number of outdoor spaces dedicated to Indigenous ceremonies and knowledge- sharing. |
In planning stage |
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