Cultural Connections Facilitator

Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society; Edmonton; On-site; CAD 54,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mileage for travel

Extended Health Benefit

Paid sick and wellness days after 3–6 

Probation-based benefits

Job summary

Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society seeks a Cultural Connections Facilitator to support Indigenous families through group programming and in-home mentorship across Edmonton. The role emphasizes cultural language access, community connection, and family-centered services within Kikosewin FRN.

You'll split time between group activities and individualized home visits, collaborating with Home Visitation, ICD, and Youth spokes to uphold cultural safety and community accountability.

Qualifications

• Lived connection to Indigenous culture required; not substitutable by other qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Plan and lead ceremonies, land-based teachings, and seasonal cultural events.

Skills

Trauma-informed care

Cultural safety

Interpersonal skills

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Education

Human Services degree or diploma

Equivalencies considered

Tools

Database experience

Job description

Strengthening Connections to Culture Spoke (New)

Location

Kikosewin Hub - 11648 85 Street, Edmonton, AB

Report to

Supervisor, Kikosewin FRN

FTE / Hours

34.5 hours per week

Status

Two Year Contract with the Potential the Extend

About Kikosewin

Kikosewin - a Cree word meaning the act of being with family - is the Hub of the East Edmonton Indigenous Supporting Family Resource Network, operated by Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society. Kikosewin connects children, youth, and families to coordinated, culturally grounded services and supports across the network.

Position Summary

Strengthening Connections to Culture exists to ensure Indigenous children, youth, and families across the Kikosewin FRN have access to their culture, language, and community. Cultural Connections Facilitators deliver this as a shared resource across the whole Hub rather than one spoke or age band: roughly half their time is spent on group-based cultural programming open to all families in the network, and the other half is spent providing individualized, in-home cultural mentorship to families already receiving intensive services through Home Visitation, ICD Intensive Services, the Family Engagement Specialist and Youth Engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Community and Group Programming

• Plan and lead ceremonies, land-based teachings, and seasonal cultural events
• Facilitate traditional based programing/teachings, skill-building (drum making, beading, and similar activities)
• Lead or support Rites of Passage programming
• Deliver individualized cultural mentorship in-home for families receiving intensive services elsewhere in the network
• Support families with smudge protocols, ceremony preparation, and cultural identity work
• Provide culturally grounded support
• Connect families to Elders and ceremony matching their background and readiness

Relationships and Integration

• Build and maintain relationships with Elders and Knowledge Keepers - this role is not expected to hold all cultural knowledge alone
• Work as an integrated member of care teams alongside Home Visitation, ICD, BRC, and Youth spokes

Documentation

• Maintain cultural documentation that meets program reporting needs while honouring what is sacred and appropriately confidential

Qualifications and Requirements

Lived connection to Indigenous culture and community is the primary qualification for this role, not as something an equivalency can substitute for. Equivalencies below address the facilitation and human-services side of the role only.

• Human Services degree or diploma; equivalencies will be considered.
• Minimum 3 to 5 years Western Style Facilitation is considered an asset
• Minimum of 3-5 years' work-related experience
• Trained in facilitation.
• Knowledge in the Indigenous culture and traditions.
• Experience working with Indigenous families is an asset.
• Database experience is an asset.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and willing to obtain drivers abstract.
• Must have 2-million-dollar liability insurance coverage.
• Must provide a Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector and Intervention Record Check (within a 6-month period from date of completion).

What We Offer

• Meaningful, relationship-centred work with families during a critical period of their lives
• Regular reflective supervision and strong professional development support
• A values-driven, Indigenous-led organization committed to cultural safety and community accountability
• A network of colleagues across the FRN
• $54,300.00 - $57,015.00 annually
• Salary plus mileage for travel
• Paid sick and wellness days after 3 months' probation (pro-rated)
• Extended Health Benefit (50/50 cost sharing) after 6 months' employment.
• Working approximately 34.5 hours per week
• Lived, active connection to Indigenous culture, ceremony, and community
• Comfortable both leading groups and doing relationship-based one-on-one work in the home
• Existing relationships with, or demonstrated ability to build relationships with, Elders and Knowledge Keepers

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Trauma- and violence-informed, culturally safe practice
• Ability to work respectfully within a multidisciplinary team without compromising cultural integrity
• Strong personal self-care and cultural grounding - in-home healing work is emotionally and spiritually demanding

Working Conditions

Work is split between community/Hub-based group programming and in-home visits across Edmonton. This role carries significant emotional and spiritual demands, cultural supervision, debriefing, and self-care practices are built into the role rather than treated as optional.