In and around Waterloo there are a number of colleges and universities that have advocacy groups focusing on different areas. Find out what is available at Conestoga College, Wilfrid Laurier University, University Of Waterloo.  

CONESTOGA COLLEGE

Advocacy Groups
Conestoga College does not have any advocacy related student groups.

Services for International Students
Student Services offer support and resourses to help international students resolve academic questions, find suitable housing/accommodation, get health insurance, and answer immigration questions. Airport pickup is a free service for new international students who arrive at Pearson International Airport in Toronto.
http://www.conestogac.on.ca/international/services/index.jsp

Advocacy Groups

GLOBAL (Gays, Lesbians, or Bisexual at Laurier)
GLOBAL providing peer counseling, education, queer library, community support and advocacy, a student housing registry, events, discussion nights and general information.

Laurier International Friendship Extension (LIFE)
LIFE is a peer mentor program offered by Laurier International. LIFE promotes and enhances student lifestyle through a variety of ways. It is a program that is designed to help International students adapt to their new environment with the help of a mentor. LIFE coordinates various events throughout the year that help build friendships and allow new students to learn more about the school, city, and country.

QWL (Queer Women in Laurier)
QWL exists to address female membership within GLOBAL. They provide peer counseling, education, community support and advocacy, events, discussion nights and general information. Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Rainbow Centre
The WLU Rainbow Centre is a safe and supportive space where everyone at Laurier and in the broader community is welcome, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. They advocate for and provide awareness about the LGBTQ community, while acting as a social outlet and resource centre.

Student Diversity Committee
The Student Diversity Committee is composed of students and staff that represent the diverse population within the Laurier community. Membership includes individuals from student service groups and cultural and religious campus clubs on campus. The Student Diversity Committee's main objective is to educate the student population with respect to diversity, and to celebrate diversity through training, marketing & event planning. Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The International Students Association (ISA)
ISA represents students from over 45 countries including Canada. The ISA goals are to support international students in their transition to life at Laurier and in Canada, to advocate on behalf of international students and their families and to promote interaction between international and Canadian students, faculty & staff.

The Office for Student Diversity
The Office for Student Diversity is committed to fostering diversity by offering a welcoming and supportive environment for all Laurier students. They also aim to nurture a student centered learning environment that respects differences in culture, age, gender, gender expression, race, ethnicity, national origin, physical ability, sexual orientation, and religious affiliation.
The Office for Student Diversity works together with the Rainbow Centre, Women’s Centre, Chaplain’s Office, Association of Black Students, Aboriginal Students Services and the Student Diversity Committee to provide safe spaces, education, advocating, and to celebrate the uniqueness of every student at Laurier.

Women's Centre
The WLU Women’s Centre is a student service that strives to build a community of people and ideas that challenge and examine gender inequalities. They firmly believe that everyone should have equal access to education in a positive learning environment. They hope to provide a space where women can feel safe and affirmed, in recognition of the gender-specific barriers and inequalities that women face.

Student Services

Aboriginal Student Services
The Aboriginal Student Services mandate is to provide culturally relevant, holistic student support services and programs to self-identified Native students (Status, Non-Status, Metis, Inuit). One of the services offered by the Aboriginal Student Services is the resource space which is available to Aboriginal students to utilize for socialization, study groups, and Native Student Association meetings.

International Student Services
Provides support for international students to integrate in to student life and the wider community. Services offered include pre-arrival information (including information on obtaining a study permit), airport reception services, international student orientation and advising, peer mentor program, social outings to Niagara Falls and Toronto, an international student centre, and links to services on campus and in the community.


Indigenous Programs

Indigenous Studies
Laurier Brantford’s Indigenous Studies program seeks to develop students’ awareness of the scope, richness and variety of indigenous cultural heritages that exist in the local and global communities. The program takes a holistic approach, exploring various issues and topics from a variety of perspectives to foster a greater understanding of Indigenous peoples, their history and place in the contemporary world.

MSW Aboriginal Field of Study
The MSW Aboriginal field of study, roost itself within the Aboriginal worldview and have as its goal the development of social work practitioners who can seek empowerment for Aboriginal populations so that they can meet the needs that they have identified for themselves. Students are expected to respect and seek to practice within the Aboriginal worldview. This means that along with intellectual development students will engage in the development of their spiritual, emotional, and physical selves. They will learn from a diversity of teachers including academic instructors, Elders, Aboriginal ceremonies, and the Aboriginal community.

Native University Program
Wilfrid Laurier, along with four other universities, has entered into a partnership with Six Nations Polytechnic to offer university courses in the community of Six Nations. The courses offered in the Native University Program are eligible for transfer credit at any of the universities within the consortium.

Advocacy Groups

LGBTQQ Committee
The UW LGBTQQ Advisory Committee is responsible for advising the university’s various constituencies on matters of interest and/or concern to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer and questioning people in the campus community. UW has a reputation for providing an open, accepting and welcoming environment and it is important that this philosophy be extended to its LGBTQQ members.

The Conflict Management and Human Rights Office (CMAHRO)
CMAHRO acts as a focal point and resource to all members of the university community regarding matters of harassment, discrimination, and other general forms of conflict.

The International Student Office (ISO)
ISO is part of the services provided by the Waterloo International office. The ISO assists students in maintaining their legal status in Canada, provides assistance and support for students and their dependents, and promotes interaction with and integration into the University of Waterloo student community at large.