Traditional Healing Liaison

FT Contract Traditional Healing Liaison
**Status**: Full-time, contract to June 2026
**Location**: London, Ontario
**Hours**: 35 hours/week [5 days]
**Salary**: $55,680 to $69,600 per year
**Paid Time Off**: 3 weeks’ vacation, 12 health and 3 personal days, 5 spiritual/cultural days, professional development and your birthday off
**Pension**: HOOPP (defined benefit plan) - optional
**Posting Date**: April 15, 2024
**Deadline**: April 29, 2024
Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC) is a diverse, dynamic, multiservice Indigenous health and wellness agency. We strive to provide quality, wholistic health services by sharing and promoting traditional and western health practices to enable people to live in a more balanced state of well-being. SOAHAC provides services to Indigenous people including those who live on and off reserve, status, non-status, Inuit, and Metis within the Southwest, Waterloo Wellington, and Erie St Clair regions. SOAHAC has a mandate of ensuring that health services are accessible, of high quality, and are culturally appropriate. It is SOAHAC’s objective to build health care capacity within Indigenous communities. Currently, we are seeking the services of a Traditional Healing Liaison to join our interdisciplinary staff team to work at our London, Site.
Under the supervision of the Integrated Care Manager, the Traditional Healing Liaison is the key liaison between the regional Traditional Healer Program management and visiting healers with SOAHAC clients/patients, including the following: community service organizations, community groups including youth in accessing traditional healer’s services. The Traditional Healing Liaison ensures that duties are performed reflecting the culture-based model of the organization, all traditional teachings, methods, and healing approaches.
**Requirements**:

- Diploma or college certificate in Social Work, Nursing, Indigenous Studies, Mental Health or other relevant programs of study;
- Experience working with Indigenous Traditional Healers within communities and familiar with modern health environments;
- Knowledge of culture and experience working with local Indigenous communities in Southwestern Ontario;
- Participate in staff meeting, training workshops, seminars and teaching circles as required;
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to work effectively and independently;
- Facilitation skills and the ability to speak at public events, conferences and meetings within the communities to promote the program, as well as, respond to requests for presentations;
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships across SOAHAC and communities;
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate clearly;
- Travel within Middlesex London and area, as well as SOAHAC sites as required;
- Valid Ontario Driver’s “G” license; clean driver’s abstract, as well as proof of personal auto insurance (must be insured a minimum of 3 years and in good standing)
- Willingness to participate in Indigenous Cultural Safety Training, teachings and ceremonies;
- Clean and current police check as a condition of employment
- Up to date immunizations and records

**Responsibilities**:

- Provide helper assistance as required to the Traditional Healers, Elders and Medicine People;
- Assist in developing and coordinating the schedules for the Traditional Healers as required;
- Schedule appointments for resident and visiting Healers at their assigned sites and provide intake appointments with clients as required;
- Coordinate cultural and traditional training/knowledge exchange opportunities for Indigenous youth, community members, community groups and staff of SOAHAC and community service organizations through the Traditional Healers Program;
- Develop and compile protocols and procedures on ceremonies, fasts, sweats, celebrations and feasts while respecting the protocols of each Traditional Healer’s view on written documentation of these cultural activities;
- Develop, implement and supervise an assistant/mentee/apprentice training program for Indigenous community members that will offer opportunities to learn and experience sweats, fasts, ceremonies, traditional teachings and fire keeping;
- Participate in the Traditional Healing Program monthly, quarterly and yearly budget review processes;
- Supervise, coordinate, train, appraise and orient helpers, volunteers and placements;
- Read, review and understand the organization’s personnel policies and procedures;
- Develop a volunteer base for the Traditional Healing Program who will perform such duties as fire keeping, medicine gathering, sweat lodge helpers, shaking tent helpers and ceremonial assistants.

This job may require additional responsibilities and duties as assigned by Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre.