The UBC Learning Circle is pleased to welcome Elder Gerry Oleman as he presents a special Learning Circle on The Impacts of Colonization on Me, My Family, My Community and Healing the Impacts of Colonization. This Learning Circle will enable participants to engage in a dialogue about the impacts of colonization on health and provide a safe space to facilitate the process of healing.

“Our whole world changed, the way we related to the earth and each other and how this led to unhealthy lifestyles that we see today in our communities right across Canada.  I believe that when we understand where we come from and what happened to us as a people will we take action to change our lives.  We all grew up in a dysfunctional atmosphere that was created for us through the Colonization process.” – Elder Gerry Oleman

Date: Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. PST

Place: Participate by video conference OR online via computer webinar (Adobe Connect).

Not sure which method to choose? Click here to learn about the difference between video conference and computer webinar.

Registration: Click here to register to attend this free session. *Pre-registration is required to attend this online event*

Who Should Attend: All are welcome to participate.

About the Presenter

Saahiilthit (Gerry) Oleman has worked with the Indian Residential School Survivors Society since 1998. He is from Seaton Lake and of the Stl’atl’imx Nation. He has been involved as a change agent for First Nations since 1976. His experiences include counseling for community addictions programs, providing leadership politically and administratively for his community and Nation, and working as an independent consultant.

The UBC Learning Circle invites Aboriginal Health and Education Directors, Aboriginal Human Resources, and Aboriginal students to a special live presentation on two exciting initiatives.

The UBC Aboriginal Health Strategy Working Group will present on the proposed UBC Centre of Excellence in Indigenous Health.

The Cedar Project Partnership will present on their multi-year community-based research project that will address the impact of historical trauma – specifically, parental attendance at residential schools – on the health of young Aboriginal people who are at risk for HIV and Hepatitis C.

Date: Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Time: 1:00pm – 3:00p.m. PST

Place: Participate by video conference OR online via computer webinar (Adobe Connect).

Not sure which method to choose? Click here to learn about the difference between video conference and computer webinar.

Registration: Click here to register to attend this free session. *Pre-registration is required*

Who Should Attend: This session is oriented towards Health and Education Directors, Human Resource professionals, Aboriginal leadership and current or future post-secondary students but any interested individuals are welcome to attend.

Download a poster to share with your colleagues and friends!

Presenters

Dr. Linc Kesler, Director First Nations House of Learning and Senior Advisor to the President of UBC on Aboriginal Affairs, Co-Chair of the Aboriginal Health Strategy Working Group

Leah May Walker, Associate Director, Division of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health, and Member of the Aboriginal Health Strategy Working Group

Kupki7 Wayne Christian, Chief Splatsin First Nation, and Member of the Aboriginal Health Strategy Working Group

Margo Pearce, Cedar Project Partnership, PhD Student at UBC School of Population and Public Health

Vicky Thomas, Project Coordinator, Cedar Project Partnership

Session Objectives

The UBC Aboriginal Health Strategy Working group would like to engage Indigenous peoples in BC about the proposed Centre of Excellence in Indigenous Health. We would like your feedback on the working draft of the proposal and how we can best support you in your goals of achieving wellness in your communities.

More Information

The Cedar Project: http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/41976.html

UBC Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health: http://health.aboriginal.ubc.ca/

The UBC Learning Circle recently partnered with the First Nations Technology Council at the 2013 STRONG Conference to host a series of video conference and computer webinar sessions for First Nations communities across the province of BC. Read more about the sessions at the STRONG Conference here and view the complete video conference and webinar program here.

Health Canada eHealth Solutions Unit: Videoconferencing – The Basics

UBC Learning Circle: What is the UBC Learning Circle?

Rob McMahon: NSI and Aboriginal Communities -Examples from across the North

Norsat International: Norsat’s National Satellite Initiative service costs post-March 2014

iCanada Alliance: Ideas and Resources for Community Digital Strategies

First Nations Technology Council (Project Raven): Technical Skills Development for the New Job Market

First Nations Technology Council: Information Management – Power & Possibility

Aboriginal eMentoring BC: UBC eMentoring for Aboriginal Youth

Canada Revenue Agency: Aboriginal student and apprenticeship employment programs – Why Join the Canada Revenue Agency?

First Nations Health Authority: Telehealth for Remote Aboriginal Communities

On May 27, 2013 the UBC Learning Circle is partnering with the Ktunaxa Nation Council, College of the Rockies and the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) at UBC to bring you a series of video conference and computer webinar sessions that provide the opportunity for participants to gather, learn, and discuss social epigenetics and knowledge relationships through sharing emerging research and Ktunaxa and Indigenous perspectives.

Presenters include Joe Pierre Jr., Michele A. Sam, Gwen Phillips, Dr. Tom Boyce, Dr. Michael S. Kobor, and Dr. Michael Yellow Bird. 

Date: Monday, May 27, 2013

Time: Various (see schedule below)

Where: Participate by video conference OR online via computer webinar (‘Adobe Connect’)

Not sure which method to choose? Click here to read about the difference between video conference and computer webinar.

Registration: Click here to register to attend as many of the sessions as you wish. *Pre-registration is required to attend this event electronically*

According to researchers at the Human Early Learning Partnership, research is emerging that now shows how diverse social and environmental factors can affect and can impact how our genetic building blocks (DNA) are expressed, long after we experience them.  The differences in gene expression contribute to individual differences in health, development and behavior. Social epigenetics explores the processes by which early life experiences influence chemical reactions that in turn alter the ways our genes function or are expressed within social groups and populations.  These differences in expression influence lifelong health and wellbeing.

This science reflects what Indigenous peoples have long valued in terms of intergenerational relations and knowledge sharing, and may be important consideration in nation rebuilding, restoring peoplehood, good governance and cultural continuity as nations continue to work on self-governance.

These sessions will bring to the forefront questions about how to bring western science and methodologies into use for Indigenous Peoples health and wellbeing, while supporting deeper understanding of Indigenous Peoples knowledges passed down from previous generations. Overall, the intent is to support Indigenous Peoples to consider what knowledges are needed in their efforts for health and wellbeing without giving up their own grounded approaches to knowledge and its relationships in research.

Schedule

9 a.m. – 12 p.m. (PST): Dr. Michael Yellow Bird presents “Neurodecolonization: Deleting the Neural Networks of Colonialism”

This presentation discusses the emerging Indigenous science referred to as “neurodecolonization,” which focuses on how cultural traditions can be used to positively shape key neural circuits of the brain to improve health and well-being. Traditional and contemporary cultural ceremonies, that include practices such as mindfulness, optimistic thinking, and creative imagery, are important approaches in neurodecolonization.

12:30 – 1:45 p.m. (PST): Ktunaxa Self-Development: Traditional Knowledge and Colonial Experiences (Three Speakers)

1. Joe Pierre Jr. presents the “Ktunaxa Creation Story”
2. Michele A. Sam presents “Ktunaxa Cosmology as the Foundation for Transformative Research”
3. Gwen Phillips presents “Social Governance: Ktunaxa Knowledge Relationships”

2:00 – 3:30 p.m. (PST): Guest Panel

Dr. Tom Boyce, Interim Director of the Human Early Learning Partnership, UBC
Dr. Michael S. Kobor,  Associate Professor, and UBC scientist
Dr. Michael Yellow Bird, Author, Professor and the Director of Graduate Education in the Department of Social Work at Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA

About the Presenters 

Dr. Michael Yellow Bird is a citizen of the Three Affiliated Tribes, the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara, that reside on the Fort Berthold reservation in North Dakota. He holds an Associate Degree from the University of Minnesota, Crookston; a Bachelor of Social Work Degree from the University of North Dakota; a Master of Social Work from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; and a Ph.D. in Social Welfare from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

 Joe Pierre Jr. is a citizen of the Ktunaxa Nation from the community of ?a’qam. He works in Aboriginal Education for School District 5 Southeast Kootenay. Currently he is serving in his second term as Councilor for  ?a’qam and is a member of the Board of the College of the Rockies and the First Nations Education Steering Committee. He is husband to wife Jennifer and dad to son Jude.

Michele A. Sam, MSW-Researcher HELP, Interdisciplinary Studies PhD student and Ktunaxa. Michele is a scholar and a researcher whose work over the past 20 years has been in direct relationship to the self-development of the Ktunaxa people and more broadly supporting the development and implementation of Indigenous peoples’ research agendas. Her role in the workshop is to support the translation of concepts into local knowledge and experiences, supporting local understanding of information presented as well as supporting institutional appreciation of local experience and intentions. She will be organizing content areas and supplementing content areas with local knowledges and visuals, stories, and remembrances. Her role is also administrative, as she is responsible for logistics and planning of the workshop itself.

Gwen Phillips, Director, Governance Transition, Ktunaxa Nation Council, Ktunaxa. Gwen acts upon multiple responsibilities within the Ktunaxa Nation to design, plan, and prepare for self-governance including capacity building and enhancing local progress towards implementation of the Ktunaxa Nation Vision statement. A number of social governance initiatives have been undertaken which seek to support collective and individual well being as matters of self-governance, this being one of them. Gwen’s role within these workshops is to ensure local voice is heard and understood within the nation-level vision in order to guide and determine direction and value of knowledges. She will be asked at the end of each session to contextualize content shared within the Ktunaxa Nation Council governance and vision statement in addition to approaching ‘witnesses’ to speak to the content as well.

Dr. Tom Boyce is the Sunny Hill Health Centre/BC Leadership Chair in Child Development in the Human Early Learning Partnership and the Centre for Community Child Health Research at the University of British Columbia. He is also Co-Director of CIFAR’s Experience-Based Brain and Biological Development Program and a member of Harvard University’s National Scientific Council on the Developing Child.

Dr. Michael S. Kobor is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medical Genetics at UBC, and a Scientist at the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, a gene research centre under UBC’s Faculty of Medicine and located at the Child and Family Research Institute (CFRI).

Video conference

Video conference provides real-time two-way audio/video communication between two or more locations. Video conferencing requires specialized equipment on both ends for a successful connection. The UBC Learning Circle currently has video conference equipment in over 90 First Nations communities across BC.

Click here to download some helpful instructions for your HDX remote control.

Computer webinar

A computer webinar is a specific type of web conference that is typically one-way (speaker to the remote audience with limited remote audience interaction). All that is required to attend our sessions by webinar is a computer with internet connection and speakers.

The UBC Learning Circle webinars allow participants to both see and hear the presenters. You can interact with the presenters by typing your questions and comments into the “chat window” in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. The Learning Circle facilitator will relay your questions and comments to the presenters. Due to technical limitations, you will not be able to speak with the presenter, nor are participant webcams enabled for our sessions.

To learn more about the computer webinar program “Adobe Connect,” please visit the following links.

Click here to download a copy of the PowerPoint presentation that was shown at this Learning Circle.

The UBC Learning Circle invites First Nations Health Directors to a special live presentation by public health physicians from First Nations and Inuit Health to discuss their current roles, the transition to the First Nations Health Authority, and how they can best support you in your goals of achieving wellness in your communities.

Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Time: 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Please note the time has been changed from the original start at 10 a.m.)

Place: Participate by video conference OR online via computer webinar (Adobe Connect). Not sure which method to choose? Click here to learn about the difference between video conference and computer webinar.

Registration: Click here to register to attend this free session. *Pre-registration is required to attend this online event*

Who Should Attend?: This session is oriented towards Health Directors, but any interested individuals are welcome to attend.

Presenters

Naomi Dove, MD MPH FRCPC,
Director of Health Promotion and Prevention, First Nations and Inuit Health – BC Region

Isaac Sobol, MD, CCFP, MHSc, Acting Director of Health Protection, First Nations and Inuit Health – BC Region

Shannon Tania Waters, MD, MHSc, FRCPC, Director of Health Surveillance, First Nations and Inuit Health

Session objectives include:

• An introduction to the physicians’ roles as Medical Health Officers
• Clarification of their roles as Medical Health Officers with respect to mental health emergencies and suicide prevention/mental wellness promotion
• A ‘Talking Circle’ with Health Directors regarding their priorities in this area and how MHO’s individual roles can best support Health Directors
• Identifying how these MHOs work together to support Health Directors to achieve wellness in their communities

About the Presenters

Dr. Naomi Dove is the Director of Health Promotion and Prevention at First Nations Inuit Health Branch in Vancouver.  Naomi is originally from rural Northwestern Ontario, but has lived in BC since 1997. She completed her medical degree and specialty training in Public Health and Preventive Medicine at the University of British Columbia, which included 2 years of clinical training in psychiatry.  Her portfolios at FNIH include early childhood development, chronic disease and injury prevention, and mental health and wellness.  She is very excited to be involved in the transition to the First Nations Health Authority.

Dr. Isaac Sobol graduated from Queen’s University medical school in 1985.

His first job was working as a family physician in the Metis community of Ile-a-la-Crosse in Saskatchewan.  From there, he went to work for the Nisga’a Health Board as family physician and Medical Officer of Health.  He lived in the Nisga’a community of New Aiyansh for 7 years.  He then completed a residency in Community Medicine and obtained an MHSc degree at UBC.

His next employment was at the UBC Faculty of Medicine where he was Director of the Division of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health.He accepted the position as Chief Medical Officer of Health for Nunavut in 2005 and remained in that position until 2011.

Dr. Sobol served on the Advisory Board of the Institute of Aboriginal Health of CIHR for two terms, and he has been a member of the Advisory Board of the National Collaborating Centre since its inception.

Currently he is the Acting Director of Health Protection, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch in Vancouver.

Dr. Shannon Tania Waters is a Coast Salish physician and a member of Stz’uminus First Nation on Vancouver Island. She worked as a family doctor close to her home in Duncan, then after two years in family practice Dr. Waters returned to school and completed her specialty training in Public Health and Preventive Medicine. Dr. Waters now works as the Director of Health Surveillance at First Nations Inuit Health Branch in Vancouver and is involved in First Nations health information governance, eHealth and is excited to be involved in the formation of the new First Nations Health Authority.

The First Nations Health Authority assumes responsibility for Health Canada’s Non-Insured Health Benefits program on July 2, 2013.

Please join FNHA VP of Health Benefits John Mah for a UBC Learning Circle presentation on the First Nations Health Authority Benefits Program. Learn about how the First Nations Health Authority is preparing for transfer and what the next steps will be towards transforming health benefits for First Nations in British Columbia.

Date: May 2, 2013

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Where: Participate by video conference OR online via computer webinar

Registration: Click here to register. *Pre-registration is required to attend this free event*

Who Should Attend?: This event is open to everyone.

About the Presenter

John Mah is the Vice-President of First Nations Health Benefits. A former federal public servant with Health Canada, John has dedicated 16 years of his professional career to the area of First Nations health. He most recently held the position of Director, Non-Insured Health Benefits in Alberta Region.

A registered pharmacist, he received his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Alberta and began his clinical practice in Edmonton. After working a few years in an urban setting, he accepted the challenge of designing, constructing and operating a full service retail pharmacy for Bigstone Cree Nation in Northern Alberta. He is a dedicated husband and father of three children. When not in the office, he enjoys playing hockey, golf and spending time with family and friends.

As VP of Health Benefits, Mr. Mah will lead the transfer of the Non-Insured Health Benefits program to the First Nations Health Authority. Areas of responsibility include: Pharmacy, Dental, Mental Health Benefits, Medical Transportation, Medical Supplies, Provincial Benefits Relationships, and the Health Advocate function. Importantly, John will also oversee the future transformation of NIHB to a First Nations benefit program.

Poster Available

Click here to download and print a poster of this event to share with your friends and colleagues.

Presentation Available

Click here to view and download the PowerPoint presentation that was shown at this Learning Circle.

Date: Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Where: Participate by videoconference OR computer webinar

Registration: Pre-registration is required to attend this free event. Click here to register.

Who Should Attend? This session is intended for Aboriginal youth, Aboriginal youth workers, teachers, parents, and anyone who is interested in being inspired.

About the Presenters

Ashley McGinnis started playing basketball when she was in Grade 5 with her very first coach Sam Louie. She loved the sport and in 2008 she got the opportunity to play competitively with players throughout BC for the Summer Games. From there through grade 9-12 Ashley tried out for Team B.C and was given the opportunity to play for the Provincial Team for three years. She won two silver medals; one in 2009 and another in 2011 Nationals. Her coach Shawn McGinnus for the U17 Provincial Team helped her believe that she could play at the CIS level. She was recruited by Rich Chambers head basketball coach for the University of Victoria Women’s Team, where she just finished her 1st year as a rookie. Ashley has traveled extensively for tournaments for JANT, High School, and UVic as far east as Winnipeg, north to Prince Rupert, south to Las Vegas and as far west as Port Alberni.

Marlan Hall is a Grade 12 student at Southern Okanagan Secondary School. He will be graduating this year and his short-term goal is to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. His dream is to become a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter and he hopes to fight under the UFC. He started training in MMA in 2008 but didn’t do any formal training until 2010 when he started boxing. He has been doing cage fighting since 2010 and his current record is 6-3 and he has held the 145 belt in one organization. He presently fights under the biggest organization in BC, the Battlefield Fight League. His last fight was February 16, 2013, where he won in 45 seconds of the first round. Although his dream to become an MMA fighter is difficult, his parents’ belief in him helps him grow as a fighter and a person. With hard work and determination, he knows he can achieve his goal.

This 2-hour workshop will introduce key concepts and principles of trauma-informed practice. Trauma-informed services take into account an understanding of trauma in all aspects of service delivery and place priority on the person’s safety, choice and control. Such services create a treatment culture of nonviolence, learning, and collaboration.

Date: Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Where: Participate by videoconference OR online via computer webinar

Registration: Pre-registration is required to attend this free event. Click here to register.

Who Should Attend? This workshop is intended for individuals who work in health centers, home-care workers, community health and nursing station staff.

1. An introduction to definitions of trauma and a description of trauma effects including:

- Single-event trauma, complex trauma/developmental trauma, historical trauma and;
- Physical, emotional, spiritual, behavioural and relational effects of trauma

2. Prevalence of trauma among a range of populations

3. Description of four key principles of trauma-informed practice:

- Trauma awareness
- Emphasis on safety and trustworthiness
- Opportunity for choice, collaboration and connection
- Strength-based and skill-building

4. Examples of programs and systems where trauma-informed practice has been integrated

5. Sharing examples from participants’ own work where trauma-informed practice has been implemented and where they see room to strengthen trauma-informed practice

6. Questions and discussion

About the Presenter

Diane Smylie, MSW, RSW has worked in community-based services as a clinician and a program manager for more than a decade. More recently her work has focused on the development of programs and policies for agencies serving women who are experiencing problems with substance use, mental health and trauma. Diane’s clinical program development and policy work are informed by a strong social determinants of health perspective. Additionally, Diane’s Métis heritage informs the “lens” she brings to all of her work.

Highlights of Diane’s key relevant projects include:

• Co-leading a provincial initiative to strengthen trauma informed practice in BC mental health and substance use services through the collaborative development of a practice guide and a provincial curriculum
• Co-investigator in a study evaluating  the Seeking Safety Program for women with problem gambling and trauma (the principal investigators for this study are Lisa Najavits and Catherine Classen)
• Co-authoring a chapter in a book on trauma informed practice for substance use and mental health practitioners, Becoming Trauma Informed (Edited by Nancy Poole and Lorraine Greaves)
• Development and evaluation of a seven-week day program for mothers with substance use problems (including programming to support children and parenting)

The UBC Learning Circle is pleased to announce that we are partnering with the First Nations Health Authority to facilitate a series of video conference and webinar sessions regarding the FNHA Aboriginal Mental Wellness & Substance Use approach. These sessions will enable community input into the planning process from BC’s rural and remote regions.

This is your opportunity to get involved in your region’s planning sessions! These three-hour long events will help to set goals and outcomes for five in-person regional implementation forums that will take place in May and June 2013.

Regional Video conference and Webinar Dates

April 15 – Vancouver Island
April 18 – Fraser
April 24 – Vancouver Coastal
April 25 – Interior
April 29 – Northern

Goals

These sessions will attempt to discover what communities want to get out of the regional planning forums. FNHA health planners will lead a discussion on community-identified goals for the regional in-person forums, propose invitations for potential participants to attend regional in-person planning sessions, and brainstorm other important issues to bring to regional discussions.

Who Should Attend?

These sessions are applicable to anyone who works in the area of First Nations and Aboriginal mental wellness and substance use.

Registration

Click here to register to attend your region’s session by video conference OR Adobe Connect (i.e. computer webinar). A teleconference option will also be available for these sessions.

*Pre-registration is required to attend these free online events.*

More Information

For more information on the BC First Nations and Aboriginal People’s Mental Wellness and Substance Use Ten Year Plan, please visit the FNHA website or contact Blake Stitilis, Health Planner, Mental Wellness and Substance Use, at bstitilis@fnhc.ca.

Click here to download a PDF version of the report “A Path Forward: BC First Nations and Aboriginal People’s Mental Wellness and Substance Use- 10 Year Plan.”