Indigenous Wellness Provider
Victoria, BC
Working as part of the interdisciplinary VNFC Wellness Team and reporting to the Primary Care Network (PCN) Indigenous Lead, the “new” position of PCN Indigenous Wellness Provider (IWP) will work in collaboration with the PCN team of family physicians, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, allied health providers, and other care providers to provide a seamless, holistic, and culturally safe approach to health and wellness. The PCN Indigenous Wellness Provider will provide direct support, access, education, and health care planning while honouring traditional healing practices. Working as part of a supportive and dynamic team, you will have the ability to affect the health outcomes for the Indigenous community.
If you have a passion for supporting access to culturally safe health and social services, please read on. You may be the person we’re looking for!
For more information on the Victoria Native Friendship Centre, please go to www.vnfc.ca
Role
The IWP will support clients to access health and social services, providing systems navigation and case management, while working to support clients to build their own capacity where possible. IWPs will provide accompaniment to medical appointments and help bridge gaps between primary care and specialized medical services. As importantly, they will support clients to access Indigenous medicine and cultural supports. They will also offer health-related education programming, including self-management for chronic conditions such as arthritis and chronic pain.
Scope of Care
The IWP will be open to referral from any point within the PCN. Providers, allied health, organizations, or individuals themselves can be referred to the IWP through a simple, one-page intake form which will be shared throughout the PCN. The only criterion for service is that clients identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit), currently live within the PCN, and have barriers to accessing health care (i.e. complex physical or mental health challenges, history of trauma and racism, socio-economic challenges). The Indigenous Lead will review referrals on a first come basis while prioritizing people with urgent and/or acute needs.
Duties:
- Work with clients and the interdisciplinary care team to develop and implement client-centred, holistic, and culturally safe health and wellness care plans, and coordinate access to services
- Provide support with mobility issues and/or advocacy needs, provide transportation to medical appointments, including accompanying clients into appointments
- Work independently with individual clients and families or other groups, providing them with education, support, assistance, and encouragement to access appropriate health interventions
- Organize community health activities and events
- Work with community agencies to promote utilization of their services by Indigenous clients
- Participate in and provide data collection, reporting and evaluation tasks as requested
Qualifications
Wisdom, Training and Experience
- A diploma in social work/human services/ related field or combination of education and work experience
- Direct program delivery experience in the community social services sector with a demonstrated working knowledge of community, regional and provincial based programs
- Valid BC’s Driver’s License, Access to an adequately insured reliable vehicle
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Experience working with Indigenous Community, awareness of First Nations, Metis and Inuit cultures and issues affecting the Indigenous community. A sound knowledge of the local Indigenous and mainstream community and services/resources
- Proven capacity to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds with a range of complex mental and physical health issues
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills, both written and oral, including document literacy
- Ability to practice using philosophies of cultural safety and humility, harm reduction, and trauma informed care while honouring traditional healing practices
- Knowledge and ability to work ethically with professional boundaries while maintaining confidentiality
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 including Word, Excel, and Outlook is a requirement.
- Candidate must have reliable transportation, hold a valid BC driver’s license, and have a clean driving record
- Must provide a clear vulnerable sector Criminal record check before beginning client care
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