Indigenous Cultural Advisor

Fraser Health; Hope, Agassiz, Harrison Hot Springs, Kent; On-site; CAD 41,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Fraser Health is seeking an Indigenous Cultural Safety Advisor to support patients, families and staff by integrating Indigenous perspectives and ceremony into care planning across Fraser Health facilities.

The Advisor provides guidance, mentorship and cultural education, collaborates with the Indigenous Health Liaison, and helps foster respectful, culturally safe interactions in hospital and community settings.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated significant wisdom in areas of traditional health and wellness as recognized by their National and/or Indigenous Family inclusive of demonstrated knowledge and ability to promote Indigenous protocols and ceremonies.
• Valid BC Driver's licence and possession of a personal vehicle for business related purposes.
• Competencies aligned with Fraser Health Leadership Framework and ability to engage with Aboriginal communities.

Responsibilities

• Provides guidance and personal consultation and an indigenous perspective for patients, clients, and their families as they work with their healthcare team regarding decisions about their health and wellness care plan; provides support for clients and/or families during their hospital stay.
• Shares teachings to patient, clients and their families about traditional knowledge in relation to health and wellness.
• Supports the right of patients, clients, their families and members of the healthcare team to receive services that honour the customs and traditions of First Nations, Metis and other Indigenous peoples that they have consented to receive.
• Works with various members of the healthcare team to support patient, clients and their families in discharge planning.
• Provides access and/or facilitates ceremony and traditional wellness practices.
• Meets with patients, clients and families in hospital sacred and spiritual spaces, patient/client hospital rooms, and/or public spaces in Fraser Health facilities in the provision of Elder in Residence programs.
• Supports discussions between Indigenous patients, clients and their families and the assigned healthcare team.
• Supports relationships between First Nations, Metis and Indigenous organizations and Fraser Health employees.
• Supports patients, clients and their families to increase their health literacy including their ability to gather and interpret information in ways that promote health; acts as a liaison between Indigenous clients and healthcare staff when requested.
• Supports Cultural Safety program development through methods such as contributing to development and training curriculum and delivering course content.
• Attends and contributes at a variety of meetings including the Cultural Safety Committee meetings for the designated site(s) to enhance the experience of the attendees supporting cultural awareness and sharing experiences and wisdom of their past.
• Tracks and reports client interactions and prepares summaries for sharing.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Education

Indigenous knowledge/ceremony expertise

Job description

Salary

The salary range for this position is CAD $29.88 - $39.22 / hour

Detailed Overview

Supporting the Vision, Values, Purpose and Commitments of Fraser Health including service delivery that is centered around patients/clients/residents and families:

The Indigenous Cultural Safety program, consisting of Elders and traditional cultural knowledge keepers,aims to ensure Indigenous perspectives, knowledge, and approaches to wellness are honoured in the hospital and communitysettings in Fraser Health.

The Advisor provides guidance, personal consultation, active listening, counselling, support, and mentorship to clients, their families and employees; acts as a liaison between clients and Fraser Health staff and programs. The Advisor also provides guidance, mentorship and direction toFraser Health staff and programsas requested, including the sharing of knowledge and protocol around ceremony and culture for stronger client interactions and supporting cultural events on site.

The Advisor may also provide a link between Indigenous community members inclusive of First Nation, Metis and Inuit, Indigenous organizations and Fraser Health staff and programs; works collaboratively with the Indigenous Health Liaison in support of community members and Fraser Health staff and programs.

Responsibilities

1. Provides guidance and personal consultation and an indigenous perspective for patients, clients, and their families as they work with their healthcare team regarding decisions about their health and wellness care plan; provides support for clients and/or families during their hospital stay.
2. Shares teachings to patient, clients and their families about traditional knowledge in relation to health and wellness.
3. Supports the right of patients, clients, their families and members of the healthcare team to receive services that honour the customs and traditions of First Nations, Metis and other Indigenous peoples that they have consented to receive.
4. Works with various members of the healthcare team to support patient, clients and their families in discharge planning.
5. Provides access and/or facilitates ceremony and traditional wellness practices.
6. Meets with patients, clients and families in hospital sacred and spiritual spaces, patient/client hospital rooms, and/or public spaces in Fraser Health facilities in the provision of Elder in Residence programs.
7. Supports discussions between Indigenous patients, clients and their families and the assigned healthcare team.
8. Supports relationships between First Nations, Metis and Indigenous organizations and Fraser Health employees.
9. Supports patients, clients and their families to increase their health literacy including their ability to gather and interpret information in ways that promote health; acts as a liaison between Indigenous clients and healthcare staff when requested.
10. Supports Cultural Safety program development through methods such as contributing to development and training curriculum and delivering course content.
11. Attends and contributes at a variety of meetings including the Cultural Safety Committee meetings for the designated site(s) to enhance the experience of the attendees supporting cultural awareness and sharing experiences and wisdom of their past.
12. Tracks and reports client interactions and prepares summaries for sharing.
13. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

Demonstrated significant wisdom in areas of traditional health and wellness as recognized by their National and/or Indigenous Family inclusive of demonstrated knowledge and ability to promote Indigenous protocols and ceremonies. Healthcare background/knowledge preferred.

Valid BC Driver's licence and possession of a personal vehicle for business related purposes.

Competencies

Demonstrates the leadership practices of the Fraser Health Leadership Framework of Clear, Caring and Courageous and creates the conditions for people to succeed.

Professional/Technical Capabilities:

• Demonstrated capacity to share wisdom and knowledge with patients, clients families and employees of Fraser Health.
• Demonstrated positive working relationships with community partners.
• Ability to promote, educate and learn with others.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to listen and the desire to foster the well-being of others.
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.

About Fraser Health

Fraser Health is the heart of health care for over two million people in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley in British Columbia, Canada, on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of the Coast Salish and Nlaka’pamux Nations and is home to 32 First Nations within the Fraser Salish region.

People - those we care for and those who care for them - are at the heart of everything we do. Our hospital and community-based services are delivered by a team of 50,000+ staff, medical staff and volunteers.

We are committed to planetary health and value diversity in the work force. We strive to maintain an environment of respect, caring and trust. Fraser Health’s hiring practices aspire to ensure all individuals are treated in an inclusive, equitable and culturally safe manner.

Together, we are the heart of health care.