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Male Allies Program

Our team offers in-person and virtual workshops, guest lectures, consultations, corporate training, and more. We are available to sit on expert panels to share insights on engaging men and boys in violence prevention and culture change.

Male Allies is a Program of SASC

Male Allies engages boys and men, with their unique ability and responsibility, in ending systemic and everyday forms of gender-based violence. We do this through programming that provides alternative narratives of masculinity, opportunity for self-reflection and dialogue, and challenges harmful language and behaviour.

Male Allies is a program for men dedicated to ending sexual and gender-based violence. It offers:

  • A chance to talk about what it means to be a man today and address stereotypes
  • An opportunity to explore how to have a healthy relationship with family, friends and dating partners
  • A forum to learn about creating safer schools, workplaces and communities

We Offer Workshops, Lectures, Training, Group Facilitation and Professional Development

We cover topics such as healthy masculinity, relationships, consent, addressing sexism and sexual violence culture, bystander intervention and more. Our engaging, interactive presentations are ideal for:

  • Sports teams (Leading By Example sports program)
  • Elementary and High School Classes
  • Youth Groups
  • Corporations (Raise the Bar corporate training program)
  • Community Organizations
  • University and College Classes
  • Workplaces

How We Started

In 2007, the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region began exploring how to include men in the work of ending sexual violence in our community.

In January 2008, under the name MARC Project (Men Against  Rape Coalition), the first ten men participated in approximately 14 hours of training. Additional training was offered for those who wanted to become volunteers with our agency.  The name quickly changed to Male Allies Against Sexual Violence program and in 2016 it was shortened to Male Allies program. The purpose of the program is to provide men with the opportunity to learn how they can work to end sexual violence against women and children with the support and guidance of SASC.

In 2010, the Astley Family Foundation invested $30,000 into the program. Since then, the Astley Family Foundation has contributed over $300,000 to educate and support boys and men in ending gendered violence in our community. This stable funding also attracted funding from other sources such as Waterloo Region Public Health, Wilfrid Laurier University, Kitchener-Waterloo Community Foundation – George Cluthe Fund and Brenda  & Peter Hallman Family Fund, the Barb Elliott fund, Grand River Rotary and F.K. Morrow Foundation.

In May 2013 we hired a part-time program coordinator. This became a full-time role in September 2015.  In January 2017 we added a full-time educator partially funded by a project partnership with the Cambridge YWCA.

Some highlights of the program include:

  • SASC became the first sexual assault centre in Ontario to host a program focused on fostering male allyship in the work of ending gendered violence.
  • In 2011 the program was a finalist for K-W Volunteer Action Centre’s Innovative Involvement Volunteer Impact Award.
  • In 2014 SASC began an 8 – 12 week program for Grade 7 and 8 boys (now called the Young Men’s Group).
  • In 2016 the program began a partnership with Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre and the Ontario Hockey League to provide mandatory training to all Junior A teams about healthy masculinity and healthy relationships. The Male Allies program created the curriculum and facilitates the training for the Kitchener Rangers and the three U.S. based teams.
  • In 2017 the Male Allies program was asked to provide training for all male athletes at Wilfrid Laurier University.
  • In 2022 the Male Allies Program was approached by Hockey Canada to provide training to its entire organization - players, coaches, and staff.
  • In 2023, the Rangers Reach (Kitchener Rangers Community Fund) awarded our team with a community impact grant to fund the Leading by Example Community Expansion Project.
  • In 2025, we expanded our partnership with the Ontario Hockey League to provide provincial coordination of the OHL Onside training.

Mission

The Mission, Vision and Values of SASC guides the work we do.

​To engage boys and men, with their unique ability and responsibility, in ending systemic and everyday forms of gender-based violence. We do this through programming that provides alternative narratives of masculinity, opportunity for self-reflection and dialogue, and challenges harmful language and behaviour

Vision

A world where boys and men are engaged in ending sexual violence and oppression.

Values

Take a strengths-based approach, which includes youth-led programming

Be guided by an intersectional feminist framework

Seek direction from, and be held accountable to, those that identify as women, transgender, and/or non-binary

Male Allies Training

Male Allies Training is a 7 week series of virtual workshops and discussions dedicated to masculinity and its wide and varied effects on us as men, as well as the effects it has on the women, girls, queer, and nonbinary people in our lives. We will discuss healthy masculinities and provide tools for men to engage with others about consent, accountability, and allyship, with the overall end goal of dismantling patriarchy and ending gender-based violence.

This training offers:
1. A chance to talk about what it means to be a man today and address stereotypes.
2. An opportunity to explore how to create healthy relationships with family, friends, and dating partners.
3. A forum to learn about creating safer schools, workplaces, and communities.

Training Outline

  • Session 1: Male Allyship
  • Session 2: Masculinity, Gender, and Sexuality
  • Session 3: Gender-Based and Sexual Violence
  • Session 4: Consent
  • Session 5: Bystander Intervention
  • Session 6: Responding to Disclosures
  • Session 7: Accountability and Healthy Communities
 
Fall Registration Closed
Stay tuned for Winter Registration
 

Questions:
If you have any questions, please email the Male Allies Program Coordinator, Landon, at landon@sascwr.org.

 

The Impact of Allyship

How education inspires action and culture change.

“Thank you for coming this morning to talk to our male athletes. You are a great resource in the community, the guys really responded to you. I want to talk about these things with them, but am not always sure how. This is something we will explore again in the future.”
Tom Mandich

Department Head, Health and Physical Education, St. Mary’s High School

“I am a huge fan of the work of the Sexual Assault Support Centre and the Male Allies program. Being connected to this program, I’ve learned more about the challenge of consistently presenting a message of positive masculinity that counters the dominant, violent versions. Thanks to all who carry this vision forward. And, for making our community a safer place to live.”
Judah Oudshoorn

Professor, Bachelor of Community & Criminal Justice, Conestoga College / Male Allies volunteer

"This [Young Men’s Group] should be mandatory for all male youth. I strongly believe that. After co-facilitating this group, it is clear to me that the curriculum teaches young men about essential life skills.”
Mark Wotton

Personal Support Worker, Family and Children’s Services

It’s important to emphasize to people we are trying to influence that no one is trying to erode or eliminate the concept of masculinity; rather, we need to eliminate the extent to which it is used as an oppressive force. So, this part of today’s session was wonderful.”
Participant

Male Allies Training

“I learned that any action is better than none. I also learning how to be sensitive to others on the topics. You’d think that my own experiences would help guide me in doing the right thing – but I didn’t realize how uneducated I was until this training – even with having gone through similar scenarios myself.” Leading by Example Sports Program participant ​“The facilitators knew what they were talking about and had many great examples that I felt confident in asking questions.” 
Participant

Leading by Example Sports Program

"It was truly a privilege for our team to have the opportunity to participate in the program, those discussions will have a positive impact on decision making now and down the road. The active participation  platform and workshops is a great method to challenge critically thinking on those topics, truly enjoyed the discussions. Thank you once again, and hopefully we can get the program as a mandatory session to minor hockey associations." 
Randy Rudavsky

Kitchener Minor Hockey Coach

“I appreciated that the facilitators were very knowledgeable, comfortable, and ‘tuned in’ to the issues. I also appreciated that [the facilitator] used very current, inclusive, and sometimes even difficult language to get her point across.”
Participant

Leading by Example Sports Program