Traditional Healing Liaison

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.

Traditional Healing Liaison

We are seeking the services of a Traditional Healing Liaison to join our interdisciplinary staff team to work at our Windsor Site. Under the supervision of the Integrated Care Manager and guided by Indigenous Healers, Practitioners, and Knowledge Carriers, the Traditional Healing Liaison is the key liaison between the regional Traditional Healer Program management and visiting healers with SOAHAC clients/patients, including community service organizations and 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.

• Provide helper assistance as required to the Traditional Healers, Elders and Medicine People;
• Assist in developing and coordinating the schedules for the Traditional Healers and Traditional Practitioners 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 Aboriginal 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 Aboriginal 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;
• Additional responsibilities and duties as assigned by Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre.

• Diploma or college certificate preferred in Social Work, Indigenous Studies, Mental Health, Nursing or other relevant programs of study; or,
• Secondary School Diploma with at least five years continual ceremonial apprenticeship under a vetted Traditional Healer or Knowledge Carrier.
• Experience working with Indigenous Traditional Healers, Elders, and Knowledge Carriers within communities and adept within cultural and spiritual practice.
• Familiar with community healthcare environments;
• Experience working with local Indigenous communities and Indigenous people in Southwestern Ontario;
• Participate in staff meetings, training workshops, seminars and teaching circles as required;
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to work effectively and independently;
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to speak at public events, conferences and meetings.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships across SOAHAC and communities;
• Computer literacy, including skills in word processing, e‑mail,…