Ft Cultural Foundations Coordinator

**Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC)** is a diverse, dynamic, multi-service Indigenous health and wellness agency. We strive to provide quality, wholistic health services by integrating traditional and western health practices to support balanced well-being. SOAHAC serves Indigenous people living on and off-reserve, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, across the Southwest, Waterloo-Wellington, and Erie St. Clair regions. Our mandate is to ensure that health services are accessible, high-quality, and culturally appropriate while strengthening healthcare capacity within Indigenous communities.

Reporting to the **Traditional Healing Manager** and working closely with the **Indigenous Cultural Safety Facilitator**, the **Cultural Foundations Coordinator** plays a vital role in advancing culturally safe practices and Indigenous cultural competency within SOAHAC and the communities we serve. This role is responsible for facilitating meaningful engagement with Indigenous Knowledge Keepers, Cultural Practitioners, and community partners to develop, preserve, and promote Indigenous traditions in healthcare settings. Additionally, the Coordinator will be instrumental in gathering and integrating client and community feedback to ensure culturally appropriate, high-quality care.

**RESPONSIBLITIES**

**Support for Cultural Foundations**

The **Cultural Foundations Coordinator** will provide direct support to the Traditional Healing Manager in development of culturally safe practices, strengthening relationships with Indigenous Knowledge Keepers and community partners, and ensuring that Indigenous traditions are integrated into healthcare settings. This role is essential in gathering and incorporating community feedback, enhancing cultural wellness initiatives, and guiding the development of culturally responsive programming at SOAHAC. Key areas of support include:

- **Facilitate Cultural Engagement**: Lead the coordination and facilitation of cultural engagement sessions, circles, and organization-wide gatherings to strengthen culturally safe practices for staff, clients, and communities.
- **Support and Implement Cultural Protocols**: Work collaboratively with Knowledge Keepers and Cultural Practitioners to develop, refine, and implement cultural protocols and best practices within the **Cultural Foundations Manual** and **Cultural Orientation Plan**:

- **Advocate for Culturally Safe Healthcare**: Engage in local, regional, and organizational committees to promote culturally safe healthcare services and advance the **SafeSpace Network** across southwestern Ontario.
- **Integrate Community Feedback**: Coordinate and support the facilitation of engagement circles, ensuring that feedback from Indigenous community members informs the continuous improvement of SOAHAC’s **cultural wellness initiatives**.
- **Promote Cross-Cultural Collaboration**: Strengthen partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous healthcare organizations by building relationships based on trust, reciprocity, and reconciliation principles.

**Support for Indigenous Cultural Safety**

As part of the Indigenous Cultural Safety team, the **Cultural Foundations Coordinator** will provide direct support to the Indigenous Cultural Safety Facilitator to ensure the effective implementation of Indigenous Cultural Safety initiatives by:

- **Strengthening Partnerships & Collaboration**: Assisting in the coordination of the **Truth and Reconciliation Circle (TRC)**, with Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders committed to reconciliation efforts.
- **Facilitating Cultural Safety Training & Education**: Supporting logistics, participant coordination, and resource management for Indigenous Cultural Safety (ICS) workshops.
- **Supporting Organizational Development (OD) Plans**: Assisting TRC members in conducting self-assessments, compiling data from the **SafeSpaces App**, and facilitating OD plan development to advance systemic change within healthcare organizations.
- **Ensuring Sustainability of Cultural Safety Initiatives**: Organizing **Think Tank Sessions** to promote the long-term sustainability of the TRC, ensuring continued accountability and fostering networks of support among Indigenous and non-Indigenous healthcare leaders.
- **Enhancing Traditional Approaches to Health**: Supporting the adaptation and implementation of **Protocols for Working with Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers**, ensuring cultural responsiveness through consultation with the Wise Practices Circle.

**QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS**
- Bachelor’s degree in **Social Work, Indigenous Studies, Mental Health, or a related field**.
- Minimum **three (3) years** of experience working in a **First Nation community, Indigenous organization, healthcare, or social services sector** developing and delivering cultural programs.
- Minimum three (3) years of experience in project management, coordination, or administration, preferably in a healthcare, In