We Are IH: Indigenous engagement lead brings people together

Now that you know a bit more about who she is and what she is passionate about, it should come as no surprise that Nicole’s role at IH is all about people and building community.

As lead, Indigenous engagement, connecting with Indigenous communities is just part of her role. Nicole builds relationships and trust to support making change within a colonial system, so that Indigenous people can have their rightful access to equitable health care, free of racism and discrimination.

Nicole works from home but spends lots of time on the road travelling across the Interior for meetings with Nation partners.

Her team works to develop resources on Indigenous engagement for IH to use, and consults with staff on inviting partners to meetings, while ensuring they receive adequate honoraria for their time, and respecting cultural protocols along the way. Her team is also in the process of developing an Indigenous Engagement Framework, which should help identify appropriate engagement pathways with partners.

Nicole also supports the Letter of Understanding partnerships for the Ktunaxa Nation and Métis Nation BC, and has begun developing relationships with Urban Indigenous organizations like Friendship Societies to ensure Indigenous peoples living off-reserve are also accessing health care in a culturally safe and respectful way.

She has hope that with hard work, advocacy and love, we will continue to make these changes.

Since moving to the B.C. Interior in 2013, Nicole has been exploring all the beauty and terrain the land has to offer with her dog Sage and partner Aaron. From biking, hiking, camping, being on the water, and growing fruits and veggies in her garden in the summer, to snowshoeing and snowboarding in the winter – she loves where she lives.

“Nicole is an incredible leader, grounded in her Indigenous culture and weaves traditional teachings and cultural practices into her work.” - Nicole Taylor-Sterritt 

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