Job Description
Aboriginal Patient Health Care Advocate
Ulkatcho First Nation is a remote First Nation community located in Anahim Lake with the Health Department functioning out of the Nursing Station. One of the pillars of UFN’s 5-year Strategic Plan is to enhance Health and wellness. The UFN Health Centre is committed to creating a healthy, strong, and vibrant community through effective programs and services that promote mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing.
Position Summary
Under the direction of the Health Director, the Aboriginal Patient Health Care Advocate is a member of Ulkatcho First Nation Health Team and is responsible and accountable for representing and advocating for the unique holistic healthcare needs of the Nation. The Aboriginal Patient Health Care Advocate engages with UFN leaders and community members to listen, understand, translate and teach employees about Nation Community cultures to ensure that healthcare services are delivered to members in a culturally safe and humble manner and without prejudice and inequity.
The Aboriginal Patient Health Care Advocate embodies the concept of two-eyed seeing—with one eye, viewing the world through Indigenous ways of knowing and with the other eye, viewing the world through Western, or Eurocentric, ways of knowing. With this gift of multiple perspectives, the Aboriginal Health Care Advocate collaborates with employees across the Interior Health to ensure care delivery is strengthened and a culturally safe, respectful and racism-free manner.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Creates trusting relationships and respectfully engages with UFN communities to listen, learn the context, culture and service delivery needs.
- Translates and teaches leaders and employees about the community context, cultures and service delivery needs.
- Provides information about UFN healthcare services through proactive and respectful communication.
- Advocates for UFN community by ensuring service design and care delivery is culturally safe, respectful, equitable and free from racism.
- Provides timely information and advice about emerging UFN community healthcare needs.
- Represents UFN at meetings with leaders of other Nation communities.
- Provides recommendations and advice ensure assigned Nation Letters of Understanding are kept current and reflect evolving needs.
- Works with community leaders to include staff participation in formal gatherings, workshops, conferences, health Improvement activities, as appropriate and desired by UFN communities.
- Works with UFN and Nation community members to navigate issues-resolution mechanisms by bringing together the right decision-makers to ensure issues related to culturally safe, efficient and effective care are appropriately based on community needs.
- Works with Aboriginal Patient Navigators to ensure patients from UFN have access to traditional medicine, healers and elders as part of their care.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS: Pursuant to section 41 of the British Columbia Human Rights Code, preference will be given to applicants of Aboriginal Ancestry.
Education, Training, and Experience
- A degree or diploma in social work, healthcare, or a relevant field (e.g., Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse). Completion of a medical terminology course is an asset.
- Three years of related experience working in a healthcare environment, including direct, successful experience working with Aboriginal communities, preferably within Health Care.
- OR an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
- Preference will be given to candidates proficient in one or more Indigenous languages.
LEADS Capabilities - Demonstrates all LEADS Capabilities, in particular:
- Leads Self/Cultural Agility– self-awareness, demonstrates character, notices and readily adapts to cultural uniqueness in order to create a sense of safety for all.
- Engages Others/Empathy – fosters the development of others, communicates effectively, builds effective teams, recognizes, understands and directly experiences the emotion of another.
- Achieves Results/Process Orientation – sets direction, strategically aligns decisions with vision, values & evidence
- Develops Coalitions/Building a Trust-Based Relationship – builds partnerships & networks to create results, navigates socio-political environments, fundamental understanding that building a good relationship takes time and commitment.
- System Transformation/Credible Champion – demonstrates systems/critical thinking, strategically oriented to the future, champions & orchestrates change, steps forward from a place of respect and knowledge, to name needed change and to champion it.
Skills and Abilities
· Demonstrated knowledge, experience, and understanding of Aboriginal people and their culture.
· Knowledge of federal, provincial, territorial, regional, and Aboriginal organizations mandated to provide health services.
· Demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative leadership environment.
· Demonstrated ability to provide leadership in a team environment.
· Demonstrated ability to build effective working relationships.
· Demonstrated ability to function effectively in a highly dynamic, complex and changing environment.
· A humble and compassionate people-person; communicates with ease with diverse audiences.
· Inspires accountability; has a talent for creating a vision that others want to follow.
· Has an impeccable professional reputation and strong network with Aboriginal communities, preferably in British Columbia.
· Proven ability to lean-in to difficult conversations.
· Demonstrated ability to apply creative and innovative thinking to affect continuous improvement.
· Demonstrated ability to take initiative and foster a healthy, effective and efficient work environment.
· Proficiency in the use of personal computer applications.
· Ability to travel.
Interview Process:
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• Two step interviews (Interview & written assignment)
• Criminal record check
• Reference Check
Application Deadline: Open until filled How to Apply:
Please email your resume and cover letter to hr@ulkatcho.ca. Please include “Aboriginal Health Care Advocate” in the subject line. Or drop off at the reception counter at the band office.