Lead, Indigenous Community Engagement, Health Bridge - BC Children's Hospital

Lead, Indigenous Community Engagement, Health Bridge

BC Children's Hospital

Vancouver, BC

In accordance with the Purpose, Vision, Values, and Coast Salish Teachings, and strategic direction of PHSA, safety, including both patient and employee safety, is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone at PHSA. As such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.

The Lead, Indigenous Community Engagement supports Indigenous families across the province of BC and those who access services at the BC Children's and Women's Health Centre. The role is supported by the BC Children's & Women's Indigenous Health Team and BC Children's Health Promotion Team, and engages with Indigenous communities across the province to identify gaps and opportunities for improved services, supports, and resources related to health and well-being. Promotes knowledge exchange based on engagement findings and co-develops initiatives and identifies strategies to address gaps and issues. The Lead, Indigenous Community Engagement acts as a resource for Indigenous families to ensure the provision of care is culturally safe and family-centered, and facilitates relationship building between Indigenous communities, PHSA programs and services and community programs throughout BC. The role takes a proactive approach to understanding experiences and needs in Indigenous communities for child and youth health and well-being, and is also responsible for ensuring a system for tracking, analyzing and understanding issues and findings, and developing an evaluation framework to monitor initiatives and determine opportunities for improvement and the implementation of changes required. The role involves providing direct supports to Indigenous families based on the outcomes of identified gaps, including system navigation and resources.

This role supports the BC Children's Health Bridge program. This program leverages the trusted brand of BC Children's Hospital to deliver reliable and evidence-informed tools and health information resources to children, youth and families across BC and the professionals who support them. This new program of BC Children's Hospital, in partnership with the BC Children's Research Institute and Child Health BC, achieves this vision by coordinating across, enabling and building upon existing knowledge-focused experts within BC Children's, PHSA and across partner organizations. The processes and outputs of Health Bridge is informed by diverse family groups, ensuring cultural awareness, socioeconomic backgrounds and ranging abilities are considered in the work. The Lead, Indigenous Community Engagement plays a key role, ensuring that Indigenous families and youth, and the professionals who support them, are involved in identifying topic priorities, as well as in the development, dissemination, and evaluation of subsequent knowledge products. This role will support a wide range of initiatives - one example of a project this role will initially support is a BC Children's Hospital dental project, which aims to improve the culturally safe delivery of dental health information and services to address the unmet oral health needs for children and their families across the province.

What you'll do

• Build partnerships with Indigenous communities, agencies, and groups across BC, in conjunction with the C&W Indigenous Health team, regarding Indigenous health issues with the goal of optimizing opportunities for collaboration and ensuring an integrated and coordinated approach to improving health care and cultural safety.
• Identify, in collaboration with Indigenous communities and partners, gaps in access to health care services and resources, and top priorities. Communicate findings back to the project team and management and co-develops initiatives and determine interventions or resources based on gaps identified and provides recommendations on solutions and strategies to address issues utilizing knowledge and expertise.
• Act as a resource to project teams and BCCH staff by being a key linkage to the C&W Indigenous Health team's mission, vision and strategic plan and drawing on Indigenous knowledge and engagement findings to inform the work and interpreting the resources to support knowledge exchange. This includes identifying priorities, being involved in and supporting Indigenous family involvement in service and/or initiative development and implementation, as well as dissemination and evaluation. Establish a framework to evaluate initiatives, identifies areas for improvement and implements changes and revisions based on feedback.
• Provide consultative services, peer based individual support, group support and information sessions to individuals and families who are seeking supports and services for their children. Supports connections and referral information for Indigenous families to appropriate care and community based services, including language and cultural translation services where necessary. Supports access for Indigenous families to spiritual care, ceremonies and/or access to sacred spaces within the healthcare system to support Indigenous beliefs and practices.
• Work with the Indigenous Health and Health Literacy teams to ensure culturally appropriate resources and information is available for Indigenous Families throughout BC.
• Develop relationships with Indigenous communities to understand their preferred approach in accessing resources and information; creates proposals and outlines what Indigenous families would like to receive and how to incorporate it into BC Children's services and initiatives.
• Support the ongoing development of networks to improve care for Indigenous families by engaging Indigenous communities, organizations and other health system partners within the region, and works in partnership with the Metis Nation of BC, BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, the First Nation Health Authority, and other Indigenous organizations and communities in conjunction with C &W Indigenous Health Team when applicable.
• Provide a link between Indigenous communities and PHSA healthcare providers and supports Indigenous peoples' understanding of the provincial healthcare system, the First Nations Health Authority, and federal healthcare systems where applicable.
• Represent BCCH on various committees to provide specialized knowledge, to promote information and knowledge exchange based on findings from engagement activities and peer support in relation to Indigenous cultural safety and improving health care.
• Partner with internal and external partners to develop and implement internal and external communication strategies to improve access to culturally safe healthcare and health resources for Indigenous patients, clients, and families.

What you bring

Qualifications

Pursuant to section 42 of the British Columbia Human Rights Code, preference will be given to applicants of Indigenous Ancestry.

• A level of education, training, and experience equivalent to diploma in a related health discipline, health or social sciences, or a patient care/clinical related discipline, with post graduate training in these fields also considered an asset, and seven (7) to ten (10) years' recent related experience working in Indigenous healthcare.

Skills & Knowledge

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience working with Indigenous (First Nations, Metis and Inuit) communities and organizations.
• Extensive knowledge and appreciation of Indigenous peoples' demographics, history, cultures, customs and rights.
• Experience or knowledge of the health care system and community based resources within the region.
• Demonstrated knowledge, understanding and application of cultural safety and competency within healthcare, and comprehensive knowledge of the principles of Indigenous centred care.
• Demonstrated understanding of Canadian colonial impacts on Indigenous people in social and health contexts, Indigenous specific racism and its impact on the current health and wellness of Indigenous peoples.
• Demonstrated extensive knowledge of health issues, and especially the determinants of health, legislation and public policy, affecting Indigenous people.
• Experience or working knowledge of health systems and policy, organizational change, population health, illness prevention, health promotion, knowledge exchange and change management.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills. Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Ability to use sound professional judgment, empathy, compassion and integrity.Commitment to develop knowledge and understanding of legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents - including Truth & Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study - and how they intersect across the health care system.
• Commitment to upholding the shared responsibility of creating lasting and meaningful reconciliation in Canada as per TRC (2015) and BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019).
• As a strong asset for consideration, we are looking for our successful candidate to have: Knowledge of social, economic, political and historical realities of settler colonialism on Indigenous Peoples and familiarity with addressing Indigenous-specific anti-racism, anti-racism and Indigenous Cultural Safety and foundational documents and legislative commitments (The Declaration Act, the Declaration Action Plan, TRC, IPS, Remembering Keegan, etc.).

What we bring

Every PHSA employee enables the best possible patient care for our patients and their families. Whether you are providing direct care, conducting research, or making it possible for others to do their work, you impact the lives of British Columbians today and in the future. That's why we're focused on your care too - offering health, wellness, development programs to support you - at work and at home.

• Join one of BC's largest employers with province-wide programs, services and operations - offering vast opportunities for growth and development. and recognition programs that honour the commitment and contribution of all employees.
• Access to professional development opportunities through our in-house training programs, including +2,000 courses, such as our San'yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training course, or Core Linx for Leadership roles.
• Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including municipal pension plan, and psychological health & safety programs and holistic wellness resources.
• Annual statutory holidays (13) with generous vacation entitlement and accruement.
• PHSA is a remote work friendly employer, welcoming flexible work options to support our people (eligibility may vary, depending on position).
• Access to WorkPerks, a premium discount program offering a wide range of local and national discounts on electronics, entertainment, dining, travel, wellness, apparel, and more.

Job Type: Temporary, Full-Time (until August 3, 2026)
Wage: $88,990 - $127,923 / Year. The starting salary for this position would be determined with consideration of the successful candidate's relevant education and experience, and would be in alignment with the provincial compensation reference plan. Salary will be prorated accordingly for part time roles.
Location: 310-1001 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6H 4E4
Applications will be accepted until position is filled.

Hours of Work: Monday - Friday; 8:30 - 16:30

Requisition # 168936E

What we do

BC Children's Hospital (BCCH) provides care for the most seriously ill or injured children and youth from across British Columbia.

BCCH is part of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA).

The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) plans, manages and evaluates specialized health services with the BC health authorities to provide equitable and cost-effective health care for people throughout the province. Our values reflect our commitment to excellence and include: Respect people - Be compassionate - Dare to innovate - Cultivate partnerships - Serve with purpose. Learn more about PHSA and our programs: jobs.phsa.ca/programs-and-services

PHSA and BCCH are committed to employment equity, encouraging all qualified individuals to apply. We recognize that our ability to provide the best care for our diverse patient populations relies on a rich diversity of skills, knowledge, background and experience, and value a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment.

PHSA is committed to equity in our hiring and employment practices. With learning and compassion, we are addressing existing inequities and barriers throughout our systems. PHSA is seeking to create a diverse workforce and to establish an inclusive and culturally safe environment. We invite applications and enquiries from all people, particularly those belonging to the historically, systemically, and/or persistently marginalized groups identified under the B.C. Human Rights Code.

One of PHSA's North Star priorities is to eradicate Indigenous-specific racism, which includes dismantling barriers to health care employment at every level. We welcome Indigenous individuals to apply and/or contact the Sanya'kula Team (Indigenous Recruitment & Employee Experience) for support at indigenous.employment@phsa.ca.

Indigenous-specific anti-racism initiatives are rooted in addressing the unique forms of discrimination, historical and ongoing injustices, and marginalization faced by Indigenous peoples. These initiatives align with an Indigenous rights-based approach, recognizing the inherent rights and self-determination of Indigenous communities. PHSA must uphold legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents such as including Truth & Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study.