FNHA Vancouver Island Region Newsletter Archive - FNHA VI Regional E-Newsletter

The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) is currently recruiting a Vancouver Island Regional Appointee Board member. The FNHA provides health and wellness programs and services to First Nations province-wide. The 9-member Board collectively works for and make decisions for the benefit of all BC First Nations, regardless of residence; however, the Board is structured in a manner to make space for regional experience and perspective. The 9-member Board includes 5 Board members selected from nominations of First Nations in the 5 Regions (Fraser Salish, Interior, North, Vancouver Coastal, and Vancouver Island) and 4 Board members chosen at large.

Deadline for applications is June 30, 2023 at 12 noon.

For additional information, visit our website www.fnha.ca

FNHA Contact: Joely.Fulcher@fnha.ca

Boozhoo, Aniin! My name is Jackie Sinclair. I am Anishinabe from Rainy River First Nations Reserve in Northern Ontario. My Anishinabe name is Qui-Whet-Na-Shiig. I have been living on beautiful Vancouver Island since mid-80’s; and in Campbell River, BC, since 1995. I love Vancouver Island, and it is now my home.

I would like to acknowledge that my place of work is within the ancestral, traditional and unceded Liǥwilda’x̱w Territory in beautiful Campbell River, BC

My position with First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) is Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve (AHSOR) Advisor for Vancouver Island. Previously, I was employed with Laichwiltach Family Life Society in Campbell River for 27 years (minus a few contracts throughout my years). I worked primarily with the Urban Aboriginal Head Start, Qwallayuw Aboriginal Head Start (QAHS) since 1995 as coordinator/manager. Making the transition to the FNHA AHSOR program as an advisor seemed like a perfect step for me. I am so grateful for being in this position.

I look forward in meeting communities, members, children, families, Elders; witnessing and honouring the many amazing projects/ceremonies our communities host. I also look forward to meeting my FNHA colleagues who are out in our communities doing amazing work for our people. Many miiqwetchs/thanks to all of you!

Gilakasla!

FNHA Contact: Jackie.Sinclair@fnha.ca

ÍY SȻÁĆEL. (Good Day)

Mary Hayes TŦE NE SNÁ. (My name is Mary Hayes) TIWELISIYE TŦE NE SNÁ. (My name is TIWELISIYE). My SENCOTEN name was given to me by my father - it reflects a place name in our traditional territory. He felt that by giving his children names from the territory it would remind them of the proud place they came from.

I was raised on my home territory of W̱SÁNEĆ. I reside and work there still.

Prior to coming to work with FNHA, I worked with my home community- W̱JOLELP (Tsartlip) coordinating the Head Start program for the past 25 years. I loved being a part of the children’s lives and supporting our parents in their most important role.

I’m a proud mom of my smart, handsome, funny 24 year old son. I also love working in the garden - growing food and working with our own foods and plant medicines. I enjoy cooking and spending time with my large extended family.

I happy to be a part of the FNHA family and look forward to my new role working with our communities.

FNHA Contact: Mary.Hayes@fnha.ca

The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) has announced Sonia Isaac-Mann will be leaving the FNHA to become the Chief Executive Officer and President of the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority (SLFNHA) in Ontario. As Vice President of Community Health and Wellness, Programs and Services, Sonia has been a key contributor to opioid, pandemic, and recent budget negotiations to name a few areas. Her last day with us is on June 9.

FNHA Contact: Joely.Fulcher@fnha.ca

Father's Day Contest

Father's Day is coming soon and the FNHA wants to know about the First Nations father or father figure in your life. Send us your story about the man you'd like to honour and celebrate, and you might win a $100 VISA gift card, and up to four runners-up will receive $50 gift cards. We look forward to hearing from you!

FNHA Contact: Joely.Fulcher@fnha.ca

COMMUNITY ANNOUCEMENTS

The Heart & Stroke Foundation is pleased to announce the inaugural Personal Awards for Indigenous Scholars research competition.

Through this award, Heart & Stroke is seeking to increase the representation of best-in-class Indigenous researchers across heart and brain health research fields in Canada. Developed in collaboration with Indigenous communities, the awards aim to remove financial burdens associated with completing post-graduate studies to enable outstanding students the ability to focus on their studies, undertake a program of research, and engage with mentors as part of their training and development.

These awards will be offered to students accepted to or enrolled in Master’s or Doctoral programs in Canada who identify as Indigenous and who are studying in an area specific to heart or brain health. These multi-year awards will function as salary stipends intended to enable trainees to focus on their studies and advance in their chosen field.
Funding for the Personnel Awards for Indigenous Scholars has been made possible by the Canada Brain Research Fund (CBRF), an innovative arrangement between the Government of Canada (through Health Canada) and Brain Canada Foundation; the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Canada’s primary health research funding agency, and its Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health; and Heart & Stroke, Canada’s health charity leading the fight to beat heart disease and stroke.

Full competition guidelines for the Personnel Awards for Indigenous Scholars can be found here: https://www.heartandstroke.ca/what-we-do/research//for-researchers

FNHA Contact: Joely.Fulcher@fnha.ca

The Nation Building program provides multi-year funding opportunities to First Nations and Tribal Councils in British Columbia to support their nation building activities according to their self-determined priorities. A project or initiative meant to strengthen the institutional, governance, and community capacities in reclaiming and rebuilding resiliency, self-determination, and sovereignty, within each Nation’s own context is considered an eligible project.

For more information, please click here.

FNHA Contact: Alexis.Stuart@fnha.ca

ɫokʷimas - You are Strong Youth Suicide

Intervention Initiative

The vision of this work was born from the passing of Tamika Mountain. Tamika was an 18 year old Namgis youth that passed away from suicide in the spring of 2021. She is one of our fallen warriors.

We want to honour her life by developing this program in the hope that this work will help other young people who are navigating the the spirit of suicide. Providing youth with tools and resources to utilize during times of crisis, or in the words of Vikki Reynolds, our “howling at the moon moments” are aptly demonstrated through our program.

In this initiative, suicidally is looked at as a natural human response to carrying the burdens of 500+ years of attempted and ongoing colonial genocide. Colonial pathologies are often internalized. By externalizing these traumas, Indigenous people are able centre the resiliency, wisdom, and connection to land and culture that was there prior to contact. That is always there. This anecdote aptly conveys the current repercussions Indigenous people face. In moving away from programming that looks at suicidally as an individual problem, one founded on individualized responsibility versus institutional responsibility, we aim to address Indigenous trauma as a societally collective problem.

To learn more about the initiative, please click here.

FNHA Contact: Alexis.Stuart@fnha.ca

Applications Open for the Indigenous Youth, Art and

Water Initiative

The One Drop Foundation is accepting applications for their Indigenous Youth, Art and Water Initiative. It offers technical assistance and financial support of up to $50,000 for organizations interested or actively engaged in social art projects addressing water issues by Indigenous communities and collaborators. Learn more about the initiative and requirements at the link below.

Learn more.

2023 Age-friendly Grants open on June 1

On June 1, 2023, British Columbia communities can apply for funding aimed at helping seniors lead independent, active lives.

Local and Indigenous governments and communities can submit applications for 2023 grants to BCHC starting June 1, 2023, and closing July 28, 2023. These governments may apply for a Stream 1 grant for as much as $25,000 for age-friendly assessments and action plans or a Stream 2 grant for as much as $15,000 for age-friendly projects.