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Artwork by Kellie Schonfeld, recreation assistant at Cottonwoods Care Centre
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National Indigenous Peoples Day (NIPD) was celebrated across the Interior region with a broad offering of local and virtual events. Interior Health was involved in NIPD events in a variety of ways, from having booths set up at events, volunteering time, to donating supplies and goods.
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What NIPD means to Interior Health
At Interior Health, one of the most significant priorities is supporting Aboriginal Peoples. For generations, many Aboriginal People have celebrated their culture and heritage on or around June 21. As we humbly work to strengthen our relationships with Aboriginal partners, we recognize and appreciate the heritage and diverse cultures of Aboriginal communities and people we serve, and we are striving to embed their wisdom, knowledge, and culture into how we deliver services to provide culturally safe care.
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Cottonwoods Care Centre celebrates NIPD
Staff and residents at Cottonwoods Care Centre in Kelowna celebrated National Indigenous Peoples Day with recreational activities and a lunch of bison stew, bannock, and rhubarb and strawberry pie.
Residents at the care home enjoyed a display of First Nations, Inuit and Métis art, including paintings by Kellie Schonfeld, a self-taught Métis artist who has worked as a recreation assistant at Cottonwoods for 20 years.
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Salmon Arm Health Centre celebrates NIPD and the 1st day of summer
The Salmon Arm Health Centre staff celebrated National Indigenous Peoples Day and the first day of summer on June 21, 2023. Entertainment was supplied by Allied Health’s Early Childhood Development Audiology Professional Practice Leader, Barry Hunks.
The staff enjoyed an outdoor picnic with the option of purchasing their lunch from the Tsilhqot'in BBQ food truck.
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Third In Plain Sight Response Report available
The third volume highlights key initiatives from November 2022 – June 2023 that support IH’s progress towards implementing the In Plain Sight (IPS) Report recommendations.
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Construction starts on Cariboo Memorial Hospital project
Work is underway for an updated and expanded Cariboo Memorial Hospital, which will improve access to care for people in Williams Lake and surrounding Cariboo-Chilcotin area, including the First Nations of the Secwépemc, Tŝ ilhqot’in and Dãkelh Dené.
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2023 Quality Forum
In June 2023, health-care professionals from across the province gathered at the 2023 Quality Forum to share and discuss how to improve quality across the continuum of care.
Jill Worboys, RD, Interior Health and Michael Wesley, RD, Indigenous Health & Nutrition Consulting presented a storyboard on the Community Food Action Initiative: Applying an Equity Lens for Quality Improvement by Strengthening Indigenous Relations & Building Trust.
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Aboriginal Partnerships would like to recognize Beth Blew, former Interior Health internal communications consultant, for her amazing contributions to Aboriginal Partnerships teams over the years.
Beth has been amplifying voices for decades as a communications specialist and took on the challenge of bringing the great work of her colleagues within the Aboriginal Health team to a broader audience.
Some of Beth’s proudest work can be listened to regularly on the Interior Voices podcast. Her introductions are just a small part of the immense behind-the-scenes work she did when editing an episode. The Interior Voices podcast has built a library of resources to help people on their journey to cultural safety – it is now a body of work they can return to and reference at any time in the future.
The Aboriginal Health and Wellness Strategy document stands out among one of Beth’s biggest work accomplishments. Beth has left an indelible mark on the Aboriginal Partnership portfolio and her contributions will continue to shape a brighter future.
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Interior Health (IH) and First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) are hosting the second annual in-person Indigenous Interior Region Food Forum after a successful first event in 2022.
By attending the Forum, you will have the opportunity to learn, network and collaborate! There will be opportunities to build and strengthen relationships and partnerships between other First Nations, FNHA, IH, and other food-related organizations.
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The Interior Health Aboriginal Career Specialists support continued movement towards a more inclusive healthcare system, where diversity, inclusion and addressing Aboriginal-specific racism are a recognized priority at all levels of the organization. Their work primarily supports the recruitment and retention of Aboriginal employees at Interior Health.
The Aboriginal Employment Advisors offer the following services to job seekers:
- Tips for resume and cover letter writing
- Interview/pre-screen readiness coaching
- Application process support
- Onboarding and career exploration
- Aboriginal community and youth engagement
The Aboriginal Career Specialists are hard at work connecting with candidates, communities, and attending career and engagement events.
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Security at IH moving in-house at seven sites
Seven Interior Health sites have been identified to establish an in-house Relational Security (RS) program as part of an initiative by the B.C. Ministry of Health. The new RS team will receive specialized training on Aboriginal cultural safety and trauma-informed care, plus must be certified in B.C.'s Advanced Security Training, which builds on the Basic Security Training the current security officers require.
The Aboriginal Career Specialists may be available to assist Aboriginal applicants with job coaching readiness supports. Applicants can contact aboriginalemployment@interiorhealth.ca
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