Who we are
RISE Partnership delivers outstanding training, education, and benefit navigation to care providers and public service workers, with a focus on equity and worker-employer collaboration.
How We Work
RISE is guided by a simple but powerful framework: Respect, Integrity, Service, and Equity. Respect means listening first and honoring the lived experience of the communities, partners, and workers we serve. Integrity calls us to be transparent, accountable, and consistent in our commitments, even when the work is complex or challenging. We believe trust is built through follow-through and clear communication.
Service and equity ground our work in action. We design and deliver workforce development solutions that are responsive, practical, and centered on real needs. Equity pushes us to address systemic barriers, prioritize those most impacted, and continually examine how power, access, and opportunity show up in our work. Together, these values ensure that RISE is not just what we believe, but how we show up, every day, in every partnership.
Our History
RISE Partnership was created in 2019 after decades of labor advocacy and a shared vision for what workers deserve. Leaders from 3 labor-management trusts came together to build something new—an organization designed to strengthen training, streamline benefits, and put the worker experience first. RISE reflects the evolution of a movement rooted in fair wages, strong standards, and collective action.
2013
In 2013, 25% of Oregon homecare and personal support workers had no healthcare coverage. That’s why SEIU 503 members fought hard for the successful 2013-2015 homecare contract with the State of Oregon, which implemented 2 landmark labor-management trusts that give homecare workers access to affordable healthcare coverage and paid time off for the first time in Oregon’s history.
2019
Homecare and personal support workers establish the SEIU 503 Training Partnership. Later that year, RISE Partnership is formed and its first program, Carewell SEIU 503, is chartered to serve homecare workers with improved access to worker training and collectively bargained benefits.
2019
Uplift Oregon is formed when the State of Oregon, SEIU 503, and AFSCME Council 75 agree to jointly create and oversee a labor-management partnership to deliver training to state employees
2020
Long-Term CareWorks (now Care Pathways) is formed in partnership with 5 nursing home employers to serve workers in skilled nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. Long-Term CareWorks was the first program of its kind in Oregon to offer nursing assistant training at no cost to the participant.
Brittany
Nursing facility worker
“Participating in the nursing assistant training program through RISE Partnership has been an incredible and transformative experience. From start to finish, the program provided a perfect balance of hands-on training, in-depth instruction, and genuine support that helped me build both my confidence and competence in the healthcare field.”
Hunter
Regional Vice President of Operations, PACS
“Having great partnerships, like the one we have with the Essential Worker Healthcare Trust, makes all the difference for our facilities and teams. These partnerships help us provide access to care and financial support for employees, which we’re proud to offer. They’re also a key tool in recruiting staff and helping them build long-lasting careers with us.”
Rosie
State Worker
“The Career Mobility program opened new doors for advancement in my career with the State. I’m very thankful to have had the opportunity to participate in the program.”