Operations Model

Rising Above Operations Model

Each Rising Above center is a Christian based, non-profit organization, that helps people break “cycles of defeat”. These could include anger, anxiety, low self-esteem, past trauma, and addiction. Rising Above is known for its residential addiction treatment program.

Philosophy of Ministry

The philosophy of ministry at Rising Above is rooted in the belief that lasting transformation comes from addressing the deeper wounds of the heart, not just the outward symptoms of addiction or brokenness. The ministry recognizes that cycles of defeat—such as substance abuse, homelessness, and shame—often stem from unresolved pain, trauma, and a loss of personal identity. Rising Above seeks to create a safe, grace-filled environment where individuals can confront these underlying issues through a holistic process that integrates practical life skills, emotional healing, community support, and spiritual formation. Guided by a Christian worldview, the ministry emphasizes personal responsibility, empowerment, independence and the restoration of dignity—helping participants not only rise above their past but also discover hope, purpose, and the freedom to live as the people they were created to be.

Mission Statement – Rising Above is committed to helping people break cycles of defeat by providing HELPS. 

The HELPS acronym: Housing, Employment readiness training, Life-skills classes, Personal Development, Spiritual Formation.

Vision

Rising Above envisions a world where every person can find hope beyond brokenness—a life restored in purpose, dignity, and freedom. Guided by Christian values of love, grace, and transformation, we are committed to providing affordable, accessible care so that no one is turned away because of cost. Our holistic approach addresses the physical, emotional, and spiritual roots of addiction and defeat, empowering individuals to rise above cycles of pain and discover lasting change. As we continue to grow, we seek to develop and share a reproducible model of faith-based recovery and Inner Healing that can be replicated in communities across Canada and beyond, multiplying hope and restoration wherever it is needed most.

Core Program Model

Overview of the HELPS acronym.

Housing (H): A safe sober living environment for the duration of the 6-month residential program. Separate housing for men and women. Residents are responsible for own space and share in common-area maintenance.

Employment Training (E): Participants engage in employment readiness training (e.g., 12 hrs/week) through partner businesses, helping them build self-esteem, responsibility, and a work ethic.

Life Skills (L): Regular classes (9hrs/week) covering topics: addictions & mental health, healthy boundaries, decision making, conflict resolution, co-dependency, budgeting/finance, nutrition/health, self-esteem, time management.

Personal Development (P): Inner healing support identifying root issues (trauma/pain) behind destructive behaviors. Weekly Inner Healing appointments with a facilitator.

Spiritual Formation (S): Driven by Christian values Rising Above offers a faith-based approach to recovery, 12 step integration, spiritual awareness. We believe in “power greater than ourselves” as part of recovery.

 

Expectation from Participants

The core guidelines that participants are expected to follow include:

Commitment to Sobriety – Participants must remain free from all drugs, alcohol, and mood-altering substances for the duration of the program. Random testing may be conducted to ensure accountability. Substance use results in an immediate eviction. Participation in program components – Attendance and active engagement are required in all elements of the H.E.L.P.S. model: housing duties, employment training, life-skills classes, personal development (inner healing and case management), and spiritual formation activities. Respectful Conduct – Participants must treat staff, peers, and property with respect. Violence, threats, abuse, bullying, or discrimination of any kind are not tolerated. Honesty and Accountability – Integrity is expected in all interactions. Participants are encouraged to be open about struggles, take responsibility for choices, and accept feedback or correction. No Romantic or Sexual Relationships – To protect emotional safety and focus on personal growth, romantic relationships between participants are prohibited during the program. Adherence to House Rules – Each resident must follow curfews, maintain cleanliness of personal and common areas, complete assigned chores, and respect quiet hours. Commitment to Personal Growth – Participants are expected to work on emotional, relational, and spiritual healing, including attending scheduled appointments, counselling sessions, and community meetings. Financial Responsibility – Participants must stay current on their rent payments.  No Enabling or Manipulation – Participants are encouraged to support one another’s growth but not to enable unhealthy behaviors. Staff will not do for participants what they can do for themselves. Confidentiality and Trust – Participants must respect the privacy of others and keep shared personal information within the group confidential.

 

 

Governance and Financial Structures

Each Rising Above location operates under a governance model led by a volunteer Board of Directors that provides strategic oversight, accountability, and guidance to ensure the ministry remains faithful to its mission and sustainable in its operations. The Board works closely with the Executive Director and senior staff to establish policy, monitor financial health, and safeguard the integrity of the ministry’s programs and values.

As a community-supported organization, Rising Above depends heavily on the generosity of individuals, churches, businesses, and local partners who share its vision of offering hope beyond brokenness. This community-based funding model allows the ministry to keep treatment affordable and accessible to all, ensuring that no one is turned away due to financial limitations. The partnership between strong governance and broad community engagement creates both financial stability and relational depth, anchoring Rising Above in shared responsibility and collective mission.

 

Core Values of Rising Above

• Hope - Nobody is beyond the scope of embracing recovery and a fulfilled life.  
• Faith – Transformation happens as people embrace the reality that God is on their side. 
• Love – We will demonstrate a loving attitude in all we do, including discipline and evictions.  Leading with love can model and affirm God’s love for them.
• Acceptance – We will model acceptance through a non-judgmental approach. Whether someone is a victim or a perpetrator, acceptance will be shown to the individual.
• Forgiveness – Forgiveness will be modelled and taught as a pathway to freedom.
• Connection – Our staff will seek out each opportunity for personal connections with our participants.  Understanding that we are created for connection and the lack of connection contributes to addiction and or relapse, genuine connection creates a healthy environment for recovery. 
• Independence – Everything we do is designed to help our participants break free from a dependency trap.
• Humility – We are all on a journey and need grace and support from one another.
• Trust – with the community through transparency in stewardship management.

-with participants as they advance in the program

 

Core Assumptions of Rising Above 

1. God has a unique and special purpose for each participant in Rising Above. 

2. Participants entering the program recognize the need for significant change in their life patterns. Though this may not be clearly evident in their behavior, we will lead and support them to make these changes.    

3. In order for our participants to become healthy members of society, there are some core elements of recovery that must be addressed. These include but may not be limited to:

• Physical and emotional safety and stability
• Sustainable income
• Healthy life management skills and support networks
• Commitment to continued personal and spiritual growth
• A sense of personal worth and inner peace. 

4. Addictions are an attempt to manage pain and not the source of a person’s pain. Although addictions can cause a person’s life to unravel and become unmanageable, we do not see this as their main issue. Rising Above staff will come along side of the participants and help them address the core issues that have led to addictions and self-destructive behavior patterns. 

Participants may come into the program with a goal of sobriety and employment; our goal will be to lead them to deal with the deeper issues.  

5. Emotional development should not be expected to match biological age. We will need to learn where are participants are at emotionally and begin to work with them at emotionally “age-appropriate” levels. 

6. Our participants are spiritually sensitive yet may have rejected God because of some past hurt by the church or feelings of abandonment by God. Our role is to come alongside them and help remove the barriers so they can encounter God and embrace His grace 

7. Our participants will have manipulative tendencies. Therefore we will anticipate manipulative attempts as a default behavior and not as an attempt to undermine our authority.  The recognition of manipulative behaviors will be an opportunity to lead them to more appropriate behavior models.  Appropriate discipline will be administered when manipulation leads to violation of guidelines. 

8. Having to evict somebody from the program does not imply the program failed. At the same time, graduation does not presume that the participant needs no further supports. 

9. We will not do for our participants what they can do for themselves. This helps them grow and retain dignity. 

10. The Structures and Policies are intended to protect the staff, participants and the program. These structures keep us from enabling destructive patterns and avoid a co-dependent relationship staff and participants. 

11. We view Rising Above as a community, and our participants as people of worth. We can learn from them as they learn from us. 

Rising Above’s Distinctive Approach.

At Rising Above, we believe that sustainable life change begins when people recognize and address the lie-based pain that drives unhealthy behaviors, emotional reactivity, and destructive patterns. Our Inner-Healing model has proven to be a very effective approach to helping our participants experience freedom from lie-based pain and embrace the transforming power of God’s truth.

Since addressing lie-based pain is a distinctive of the Rising Above program, Inner Healing is not just a component of the overall program, it is foundation of the program. The other aspects of our program will be designed specifically to help people own their pain.