Indigenous Wellness Liaison

Salary

The salary range for this position is CAD $35.36/Hr. - CAD $50.83/Hr.

Indigenous Wellness Liaison (IWL)

To learn more about the Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation team, check us out here.

“We are here to support and advocate for Indigenous folks to ensure that their healthcare is inclusive and that it is just as important as anyone else’s.” - Jaye Currie, Indigenous Wellness Liaison

Your duties will include On a day-to-day basis, the Indigenous Wellness Liaison (IWL) will work to establish continuous, safe, and meaningful engagement processes with self-identified Indigenous patients and their families. Through their strong knowledge and lived experience, the IWL will assist to guide the patient and the health care providers to access cultural practices, traditional medicines, ceremony, and access to the All Nations Sacred Space.

IWLs will make available connections to community supports, including Elders. They support the patient journey by acting as a liaison. This includes working closely with interdisciplinary teams and attending daily patient rounds, coordinating referrals to and from Indigenous organizations and other health programs and services.

Bring your whole self, life experiences and cultural learnings, to this role and make a tangible impact on the health care services provided to Indigenous patient populations at Providence Health Care. We are committed to treating those we serve — and each other — with compassion and respect.

Programs that IWL’s can be assigned to

• St Paul’s Hospital - Emergency Department
• May’s Place
• Road to Recovery
• BRIDGE

Meet the Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation (IWR) team and what they do

The IWR team guides Providence Health Care in its commitment to advance Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, informed by seminal reports like In Plain Sight (2021) and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. All of us at Providence are responsible for advancing Indigenous human rights in partnership with Indigenous Peoples, through processes underpinned by mutual respect and dignity. We also continually seek to maximize our capacity to deliver exceptional, culturally safe care to the Indigenous patients that we serve. The Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation team is an integral part of guiding and leading this work.

Implementing innovative solutions to challenges is a key part of advancing culturally safe, identity-affirming care. The implementation of innovative solutions often involves multiple teams and services, and requires coordination and respectful collaboration.

In this position, you will report to Neil Fowler, Manager, and be joining an exceptional, hardworking team balanced with unwavering support for one another and a great sense of humour Fancy Poitras, Lindsay Beck, and Sheri Hundseth. The Vice-President of Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation, Harmony Johnson, leads the team through a strong vision and provides flexibility and autonomy.

Read more about the impact IWR is making at Providence Health Care.

Application & Diversity Statement

We recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent. We want to learn about you and your journey as it relates to this role. In lieu of a cover letter we encourage you to submit the story of your journey - this can be in a written/oral story, video, or even infographic. In your application, please let us know if you identify as Indigenous in Canada such as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit. Preference will be given to those who self-identify as being First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit.

Qualifications

• The successful candidate will have gained a strong knowledge and understanding of the colonial impact on the health care system as it pertains to the Indigenous populations, through their lived and professional experience.
• They will be able to work collaboratively and decisively to support the goals of the Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation Action Plan.
• They will be able to work under pressure, be solutions focused, deescalate, resolve conflict, and practice cultural humility to address cultural concerns.
• Demonstrated knowledge, experience, and understanding of Indigenous Peoples and cultures and history, an understanding of the roots of harm (colonization and racism) and ongoing harms experienced by Indigenous Peoples, UNDRIP, and the TRC Calls to Action.
• Completion of a Bachelor Degree in social work, health care nursing or related discipline is an asset but we will consider all learning through non-traditional avenues.
• The salary range for this role is $67,861 to $97,550 per year, depending on experience.
• A comprehensive health benefit package, including dental, vision, and life coverage.
• An orientation session and comprehensive onboarding to all new hires.
• A chance to grow professionally and personally, as part of a supportive team driven by innovation and the desire to address the future health needs of patients, families and our communities.
• This position will be required to be on site at St. Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver.

Your Day to Day

• Provides consultation and navigation support for Indigenous patients, families, and health professionals, ensuring culturally safe care and removing system barriers.
• Supports healthcare providers with culturally safe care, facilitates access to Cultural Practices and the All Nations Sacred Space, and connects clients to Indigenous community resources.
• Builds relationships with Indigenous clients, assesses needs, and assists with concerns through the Patient Care Quality Office complaint process.
• Participates in discharge planning, coordinates services with community programs, and supports clients’ transition from hospital to community care.
• Works with care teams to navigate services, attend rounds, assess culturally safe needs, and manage referrals to Indigenous health organizations.
• Acts as a bridge between Indigenous communities and healthcare providers, ensuring understanding of health systems and available services.
• Supports cultural safety education for healthcare teams, addressing Indigenous-specific racism and promoting culturally safe care environments.
• Maintains documentation, records client care details, and completes required reports.
• Attends Indigenous Wellness & Reconciliation meetings, documents referrals, and travels as needed.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Who We Are

Providence Health Care is one of the largest faith-based health care organizations in Canada. For the people at Providence, living our Mission, Vision and Values means providing British Columbians with compassionate, socially just, exceptional and innovative care every day.

From our humble roots 129 years ago, Providence has grown into globally renowned research, teaching, and care organization. As individuals within a mission-driven organization, we choose to be part of Providence Health Care because we value the organization’s long commitment to social justice and compassionate care, and its commitment to the process of Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

We acknowledge that Providence Health Care and the new St. Paul’s Hospital site is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.