The Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment program for health and wellness (RISE) celebrated ten years of service on August 22, 2026, at the Calgary Community Center. The event marked the program's evolution from a small, grant-funded project into a wide-reaching support system for over 1,300 students throughout Alberta.
The 30 percent employment edge for RISE participants
Data provided by Alberta Health Services indicates that students in the Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment program for health and wellness (RISE) are significantly more successful in the labor market than their peers . According to the report,RISE participants are 30 percent more likely to secure stable employment and twice as likely to pursue continuing education compared to the general immigrant population in Alberta.
These outcomes suggest that the program's holistic approach—combining tuition aid with mental health support—creates a more sustainable path to integration. the Calgary Chamber of Commerce has already pledged further internship and mentorship opportunities to maintain this momentum for future cohorts, ensuring that the transition from education to employment is seamless.
From a rented classroom to 1,300 Alberta students
The RISE program began in 2016 with a small provincial government grant and a team of volunteers operating out of a rented classroom. Over the last decade,it has scaled its operations to provide health insurance education and civic engagement workshops to a diverse student body, as reported in the anniversary brief.
This growth mirrors a broader Canadian trend where localized, community-led integration models are increasingly supplementing rigid, top-down government settlement services. By focusing on "self-empowerment" rather than mere assimilation, the RISE program has positioned itself as a blueprint for how provinces can better leverage the profssional skills of refugees and immigrants.
Expanding the RISE model to Edmonton and Vancouver
To build on its success in Calgary, the RISE leadership team is launching new centers in Edmonton and Vancouver . This expansion includes a comprehensive curriculum redesign that will introduce training in entrepreneurship,digital literacy, and advanced healthcare navigation to help students navigate the modern Canadian economy.
Dr. M. Parikh, the director of the Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment program for health and wellness, stated that the organization is prioritizing long-term sustainability. The program intends to pivot toward private sponsorships to insulate its operations from the volatility of fluctuating government funding, which has historically been a point of instability for non-profits.
Which private sponsors will replace government grants?
While the expansion into Vancouver and Edmonton is ambitious, several details regarding the financial transition remain unclear. The report mentions a plan to secure private sponsorships, but it does not specify which corporations or philanthropic entities have committed funds or the exact budget required to sustain the new centers.
Additionally, while the "curriculum redesign" is a key pillar of the next decade, the specific metrics for measuring "digital literacy" or "entrepreneurship" success have not been disclosed. It remains to be seen if the 30 percent employment advantage seen in Alberta can be replicated in the different economic climate of British Columbia.
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