Indigenous Ceremonial and Cultural Facilitator

 Indigenous Cultural and Ceremonial Facilitator

Unity Health Toronto is working toward making transformative changes in its relationship with Indigenous peoples, and in improvements to health care and care experiences for Indigenous peoples at each of its sites. In order to continue building its capabilities to participate in reconciliation and advancing wellness of Indigenous peoples and to better ensure that First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people are able to exercise their rights to cultural expression while attending the hospital, Unity Health will be hiring a permanent Full Time, Indigenous Cultural and Ceremonial Facilitator.

Working as a member of the Unity Health Indigenous Wellbeing team and reporting to the Director, Indigenous Wellbeing, Partnerships, and Reconciliation, the successful candidate will facilitate access to First Nations, Metis, and Inuit culture and cultural services for First Nations, Inuit, and Metis clients of Unity Health during their visit and/or hospitalization. The focus of this position will be direct response to FNIM outpatient and inpatient requests for cultural and ceremonial supports including but not limited to Indigenous language translation; access to ceremony and/or ceremonial materials; access to traditional healing and/or traditional healers; access to traditional foods and/or medicines. The Indigenous cultural and ceremonial facilitator will have direct contact with diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Metis knowledge keepers, Elders, Senators, healers, drummers, singers and artists and support engagement of them in a culturally appropriate manner as needed for client care and also to support Indigenous events and initiatives at Unity Health.

Responsibilities:

– Co-lead the development and implementation of Indigenous specific cultural and ceremonial policies and practices at Unity Health with Director, Indigenous Wellness, Reconciliation and the FNIM-CAP and additional relevant Unity Health leaders;

This will include but not be limited to collaborative development of:

i) the advancement and implementation of Indigenous specific cultural and ceremonial policies and practice at Unity Health;

ii) documenting barriers in responding to cultural and ceremonial needs of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis patients and their families and engaging the appropriate leaders and staff in the address of these barriers;

iii) development and implementation of polices regarding liaison with and communications/support of direct care providers regarding access to and implementation of cultural and ceremonial practices

iv) development and sharing of communication materials regarding available services and access processes for First Nations, Inuit, and Metis cultural and ceremonial requests for patients, family, and direct care staff

– Respond to requests for cultural and ceremonial supports from First Nations, Inuit, and Métis patients and their families and direct care providers, including but not limited to access to language speakers/translators; access to traditional foods, medicines, ceremonial supplies; cultural visiting; facilitation of cultural and ceremonial space and protocol requirements; linkage with vetted First Nations, Inuit and Metis cultural and ceremonial knowledge keepers, ceremonialists, and Elders;

– Recognize and respect distinct and diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis cultural and ceremonial traditions and protocols. This includes depth knowledge of linked roles, responsibilities, and material requirements, and also respect for and recognition of the right to self-determination cultural and ceremonial approaches and protocols at the individual and community levels;

– Engage and maintain a contact list of appropriately vetted First Nations, Inuit, and Metis knowledge keepers, Elders, Senators, healers, drummers, singers, artists, ceremonialists, and hospital staff who can be called upon to facilitate and/or support the cultural and ceremonial needs of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis patients and their families;

– Gather and take care of required ceremonial objects and supplies;

– Co-develop with Director, Indigenous Wellness, Reconciliation, and Partnerships, and manage an operating budget that covers honoraria, stipends and/or salary for ceremonialists/healers and required infrastructure and supplies;

Qualifications

§ Indigenous identity and lived experience with Indigenous communities required;

§ In-Depth knowledge of Indigenous community engagement and cultural protocols is required;

§ An ability to respectfully and meaningfully engage diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Metis individuals, families and communities;

§ A minimum of 2 years’ experience working with an inter-professional/interdisciplinary team;

§ An ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team;

§ Experience engaging with and supporting persons experiencing life challenges, including but not limited to homelessness, family disruption, and mental health and addictions challenges;

§ Experience with Indigenous cultural safety training, anti-racist practice and trauma informed care

§ Existing ties to and work with local Toronto and regional communities and Nations recommended;

§ Able to communicate with clients in a professional, empathetic and culturally safe manner;

§ Strong organizational, coordination and administrative skills; and

§ Previous experience working in a healthcare environment is an asset

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply via the following link

https://gen-ezjf9k52wb5ac52e-prd.tam.ca1.inforcloudsuite.com/hcm/xmlhttp/shorturl.do?key=67