Our Approach
SFU’s Community Well-Being Plan is being developed to guide how we strengthen well-being across the university. The plan is informed by evidence, community perspectives, and leading health promotion frameworks. Aligned with the Okanagan Charter, the plan takes a whole-systems approach that supports students, faculty, and staff, creating meaningful and lasting impact across campus.
The plan is organized around four key areas: Policies and Organizational Systems, Supportive Environments, Inclusive Leadership, and Services and Supports. These areas provide the framework for guiding well-being initiatives across SFU.
Policies and Organizational Systems
We apply an inclusive well-being lens to the design and implementation of all policies, processes, and organizational structures across the institution. This lens reflects diverse and supportive perspectives that prioritize health equity, accessibility, and psychological health and safety in both what we do and how we do it.
What is SFU working on
- Ensuring policies are equitable, inclusive, and trauma-informed
- Engaging the campus community in policy renewal and consultation
- Assessing how policy changes impact all SFU community member well-being
- Aligning with frameworks such as the Okanagan Charter and What’s Next: The SFU Strategy
What You Can Do
- Participate in open consultations and provide feedback on policy renewal
- Stay informed about upcoming policy updates and governance initiatives
- Review how your department’s processes may influence well-being
Resources
Supportive Environments
We provide inclusive, accessible and welcoming learning and work environments—both physical and virtual—that support the mental, physical, emotional, social and spiritual well-being of students, faculty and staff. We maintain brave spaces that promote belonging, growth and participation, and ensure everyone has the conditions and resources they need to thrive.
What is SFU working on
- Integrating well-being into teaching, learning, and leadership practices
- Promoting accessible and inclusive campus spaces
- Encouraging open dialogue, feedback, and collaboration
- Designing workplaces and classrooms that foster connection and psychological safety
What You Can Do
- Check in with colleagues, classmates, or team members
- Encourage collaboration and create space for shared learning
- Recognize when others need help and connect them to support services
Resources
Inclusive Leadership
Inclusive leadership is practiced by all members of the university community, including students, faculty and staff through behaviors that foster well-being, equity and psychological safety. While those in formal leadership roles are supported in building skills such as resilience, cultural humility and change management, everyone is empowered to model leadership that strengthens our diverse and evolving community.
What is SFU working on
- Providing tools and training to embed equity and inclusion in daily practice
- Encouraging diverse perspectives in decision-making
- Aligning leadership development with SFU’s values and well-being strategy
What You Can Do
- Practice inclusive decision-making and communication
- Engage in reflection and ongoing learning about equity and belonging
- Recognize and address barriers that affect participation and inclusion
Resources
Services and Supports
We deliver accessible, inclusive, and culturally responsive education, services and supports that promote mental health and well-being for students, faculty and staff. Our approach balances evidence-informed practices with lived experience, prioritizing safety, equity, and meaningful engagement.
What is SFU working on
- Expanding access to mental health and crisis support
- Providing well-being programs, workshops, and community initiatives
- Supporting staff and faculty through health benefits and training
- Building partnerships with community organizations to enhance resources
What You Can Do
- Reach out early if you or someone you know needs help
- Explore SFU’s well-being toolkits and mental health resources
- Participate in community well-being events and programs
Resources
SFU Community Well-being Framework
The SFU Community Well-Being Framework reflects a holistic view of health, placing students at the centre of our work and recognizing that the well-being of staff and faculty is essential to a thriving community. Grounded in the Medicine Wheel, our approach honours the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of well-being.
The Four R’s—Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity, and Responsibility guide how we do this work. They express the social dimensions of health and shape how we relate to one another. These teachings influence how knowledge is shared, how care is expressed, and how responsibility is held collectively. They encourage us to listen deeply, act in ways that matter to our communities, build meaningful relationships, and remain accountable to each other and future generations.
Guiding Principles
Culture of Care
We cultivate a culture of care, where respect, compassion, and belonging are central to student, faculty, and staff well-being.We approach this work through a trauma-informed and healing-centered lens.
Inclusive Excellence
We are committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive community where all feel welcome, safe, accepted and appreciated. We recognize that to do this effectively means to align with and support academic quality, diversity and inclusion, and organizational excellence.
Decolonization, Reconciliation, and Indigenization
We acknowledge the harm caused by colonial systems, including public education systems, and are committed to advancing reconciliation, decolonization, and justice in our practices and programs.
Planetary Health and Sustainability
We recognize the deep connection between well-being and environmental sustainability and acknowledge that the health and well-being of communities, living beings, and the planet are interconnected.
Evidence-Informed and Evolving Practice
We commit to continuous learning and improvement. We draw on research, lived experience, and diverse knowledge systems to shape innovative, responsive, and inclusive well-being practices.Together with the Four R’s and our guiding principles, this model keeps our approach compassionate, inclusive, and grounded in shared responsibility.
Together with the Four R’s and our guiding principles, this model keeps our approach compassionate, inclusive, and grounded in shared responsibility.
Contact us
Paola Ardiles Gamboa
Senior Advisor to the Vice-President, People, Equity and Inclusion (Equity and Well-Being Initiatives)
pardiles@sfu.ca
Dawn Barroso
Lead, Well-being Plan & Initiatives, Organizational Health & Well-being, VP People, Equity and Inclusion
dawn_barroso@sfu.ca