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2019 Day of Wellness Grants

Celebrating our cultures through wellness! This year we are providing grants for community-led events that are grounded in ceremony, traditional practices and incorporate BC First Nations Cultures. It is an opportunity to bring together the wisdom of our Elders and the energy of our youth to Celebrate Our Vibrant Cultures across BC First Nations!

June 21 Day of Wellness events are part of an annual wellness movement for First Nations peoples in BC. This is an opportunity to shine light on the strength of your community, to bring people together, and connect with health care professionals and wellness champions in an environment of cultural pride and celebration.

This year, we encourage communities to show their cultural pride by bringing together the wisdom of Elders and the energy of youth in your Day of Wellness celebrations.

Proposals must be received by: April 30, 2019

Find out more and apply here!

Watch: How Much Medication is Too Much? - Conversations That Matter with FNHA's Cindy Preston and Gina Gaspard

"It’s called polypharmacy – that’s when you are taking too many medications and those medications start competing with one another to the detriment of your health. It’s a problem. Let’s say you go to the doctor, complain about an ache or a pain, indigestion or a reaction to a drug you’re already taking and then the doctor issues a new prescription."

"For this episode we invited two members of the team at the First Nations Health Authority, pharmacist Cindy Preston and nurse Gina Gaspard to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the Coyote Medicine Story and how it can help all of us address an important health care challenge."

Watch the Conversations That Matter episode here!

First Nations Addictions Forum Honours Contribution of Addictions Workers and Treatment Centre staff in BC

Through a blanketing ceremony at the First Nation Addictions Forum, the FNHA formally recognized the important contributions made by the 97 addictions workers who travelled from across the province to attend this gathering. The event brought together a whopping 900+ years of cumulative service. Participants were energized by coming together for new learning and the sharing of experiences.

The forum, held in Richmond on March 12-13, was in response to community addictions workers' request for a gathering, for training, and for an opportunity to support each other.

Read more here.

Hobiyee 2019: Snow Storms and Seagulls Outside, Signings and Singing Inside

​​Over 1,000 people attend Nisga'a new year in the village of Gingolx

It's mid-February, and the highway to the village of Gingolx is closed due to a snow storm. Any other weekend this would be a minor inconvenience, but this weekend it's a serious issue, as thousands of people are making their way to Hobiyee. A call to highway maintenance ensures the crew will "step it up," according to admin organizer Michele Stevens, and they do, ensuring that everyone can get to Gingolx.

Read more here.

2019 Winter Wellness Grant Supports Yale First Nation to Balance Family Meal Time

Three years ago, Yale First Nation introduced a once-per-month program to provide fresh vegetables to all households in the community. The initiative put into play Yale leadership's value of "feeding the people" – based on the belief that without a roof over their heads and full bellies, people could not make good life decisions.

Each month, Yale's at-home population receives a welcome boost to their food budget. Yale's Health Director, Laureen Duerksen, plans to keep with the community's philosophy of equality and all 34 households (representing about 100 people) receive identical deliveries, regardless of circumstance. Even so, the community itself has established that the most vulnerable are given priority.

Read more here.

Update: My Journey into Advance Care Planning

By Fancy C. Poitras Senior Policy Analyst, FNHA

In 2016, I wrote about My Journey in Advance Care Planning, and talked about why it was important for me (and for everyone) to have an Advance Care Plan. Three years later, as I work on developing tools that will hopefully help care providers have these conversations in a culturally safe way with First Nations people, I took a deeper dive into understanding the forms and processes in BC, and, well, I'm not going to lie, it was complicated; I could see why people might not want to start documenting their wishes, or why they might get frustrated and stop.

In BC, legislation created a situation where, at first glance, there seems to be a stack of documents involved in documenting your wishes for what happens when you can't make decisions or express your needs, and it might not seem clear which ones you need and when.

Read the full post here.

Not Just Naloxone: Youth Talking about Substance Use

When: May 22-24, 2019

Where: Loon Lake Lodge: 14500 Silver Valley Road, Maple Ridge, BC

The FNHA Indigenous Wellness Team and the Yúusnewas Indigenous team at YouthCO are pleased to invite you to the first Youth Not Just Naloxone (NJN) Train-the-Trainer workshop, specifically for Indigenous youth. This three-day workshop, May 22-24, 2019, is focused on supporting youth to facilitate and develop community trainings, focusing on topics such as decolonizing addiction, Indigenous harm reduction, recognizing and responding to an overdose with Naloxone, all through the lens of cultural safety and trauma-informed care. This workshop is free for Indigenous youth in BC.

Registration Deadline: April 30, 2019

Download the invitation here (PDF)

Download the registration package here (PDF)

Join us at the Nutsamaht: Indigenous Women's Pre-Conference

The FNHA is thrilled to be one of the organizations Convening the Nutsamaht. We are One. Our Voices. Our Stories. Indigenous Women’s Pre-Conference on June 2.

The Pre-Conference to Women Deliver 2019 will inspire, inform and provide you with the information, confidence and connections to advance the rights and wellness of diverse Indigenous women and girls and celebrates Indigenous women of diverse perspectives, strengths, abilities, sexual orientations (Two spirit and LGBTQ+) and gender identity.

Together we will celebrate the strengths, cultures, and potential of Indigenous women and explore how we can build awareness of Indigenous women’s issues, improve Indigenous wellness outcomes and restore the important role of First Nations women as leaders in their family, communities and society.

Details can be found in the invitation attached and on our website at IWPC2019.ca.

If you have any questions, please reach our Event Services team at IWPC2019@pacegroup.com | 604.646.3563.

NRT announces First Nations Funding for 2019-2020

The New Relationship Trust (NRT) is pleased to announce funding for fiscal year 2019 – 2020! This year, NRT will continue to support First Nations initiatives in five areas: Governance Capacity, Economic Development, Language & Culture, Education, and Youth & Elders. Each strategic area was identified by First Nations in British Columbia (BC) as critical areas where funding support is required.

Find out more and view the application deadlines here.

NRT Announces Funding for Language Revitalization

The New Relationship Trust (NRT) is proud to announce a total of $200,000 will be allocated toward First Nations Language Revitalization funding for First Nation youth groups in British Columbia (BC) up to $4,000 per year. This funding is very important, particularly this year as the United Nations declared 2019 as The Year of Indigenous Languages, which draws attention to the critical loss of Indigenous Languages, and the urgent need for revitalization.

Youth Language Initiative applications are available on the NRT website: http://www.newrelationshiptrust.ca/funding/language/

Right To Play Program Application

PLAY is community driven. Working in partnership with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities and urban Indigenous organizations across Canada, local youth workers engage community members to design and implement a PLAY program that meets the self-identified needs of the community. Play-based programs are delivered weekly to encourage physical activity and build skills for healthy living, developing healthy relationships, promoting education and youth employability.

Are you from a First Nations, Métis or Inuit community or urban Indigenous organization? By becoming a PLAY partner…

Your community and/or urban organization can access:

  • Financial support for a local youth worker's salary to implement the PLAY Program
  • Financial support for program expenses
  • Training and coaching support from Right To Play staff
  • Access to a network of PLAY youth workers across Canada

How can you apply to be a PLAY partner? Learn more here!

Deadline: April 1 - May 13, 2019

Procurement Opportunities

​Quantity Surveyor for Metro Vancouver Office Project (MVOP)

Closing Date: Apr 24th 2019​, 4:00 PM PDT​

More info

Data Virtualization Project

Closing Date: April 25​, 2019 by 16:00 PST​

More info

Business Systems Analyst for HCM Implementation of Recruiting Solutions​

Closing Date: Apr 26th 2019​, 4:00 PM PDT​​

More info

Soowahlie Mech Project- HVAC upgrade​

Closing Date: Apr 30th 2019, 4:00 PM PDT​​

More info

FNHA Job Opportunities

Co-Op Students
Location: Multiple Locations
Deadline: Multiple Closing Dates

Pharmacy Analyst (Term)
Location: Vancouver
Deadline: April 16, 2019 at 4:00 pm

Regional Planner, Interior
Location: Interior
Deadline: April 22, 2019 at 4:00pm

Community Health Nurse, Nursing Station
Location: Port Simpson
Deadline: April 22, 2019 at 4:00 pm

Coordinator, Regional Mental Health and Wellness Services
Location: Quinsam or Tsawout
Deadline: April 23, 2019 at 4:00pm

Coordinator, Regional Mental Health and Wellness Services
Location: Quinsam or Tsawout
Deadline: April 23, 2019

Recruitment Coordinator Corporate Office
Location: West Vancouver
Deadline: April 25, 2019 at 4:00pm

Project Developer, Mental Wellness (Term)
Location: Interior
Deadline: Open Until Filled

Find all job postings on our website.

BC First Nations and Aboriginal Health Job Opportunities

Licensed Practical Nurse
Organization: Doig River First Nation
Location(s): Doig River
Deadline: Apr 26, 2019 by 11:55 PM
Job description

Aboriginal Infant Development Program Consultant
Organization: Snuneymuxw Health Centre
Location(s): Snuneymuxw First Nation
Deadline: May 2, 2019 by 4:00 PM
Job description

Alcohol & Drug Counsellor
Organization: Penelakut Tribe
Location(s): Chemainus
Deadline: May 3, 2019 by 11:30 AM
Job description

Health Unit Manager
Organization: Penelakut Tribe
Location(s): Chemainus
Deadline: May 3, 2019 by 11:30 AM
Job description

Find all job postings on our website.