By Aaron Hemens, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A new harm-reduction program in syilx homelands aims to create culturally-safe care for Indigenous people who often face stigma within the provincial health system.
knknxt蓹wix虒 (We Walk Hand in Hand) is an initiative recently launched in ki蕯lawna蕯 (Kelowna) for people living in vulnerable situations 91裸聊视频� particularly those who use substances, are experiencing homelessness, dealing with intergenerational trauma or are working in the sex trade industry.
While outreach and helping people on the frontlines are crucial elements of the initiative, project manager Ali Butler of Lower Similkameen Indian Band said that the main focus is making change within the system itself.
She said a specific priority is decolonizing through education and relationship-building workshops with healthcare providers.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 not sure people 91裸聊视频� the general, average Canadian 91裸聊视频� actually really knows what it91裸聊视频檚 like for Indigenous people to try and access culturally-safe services,91裸聊视频� said Butler.
91裸聊视频淎 big goal of this specific project, knknxt蓹wix虒, is increasing cultural safety. Everyone deserves access to cultural wellbeing.91裸聊视频�
A 2020 report, 91裸聊视频淚n Plain Sight,91裸聊视频� examined racism against Indigenous people in the province91裸聊视频檚 health-care system, and found that there is widespread stereotyping and discrimination towards Indigenous people in healthcare at all levels 91裸聊视频� especially in urgent care.
At the same time, the First Nations Health Authority said in 2022 that First Nations people living in 91裸聊视频淏.C.91裸聊视频� are dying from toxic drugs at a rate that is five times higher than that of non-First Nations people.
Butler said that she was motivated to apply for funding for knknxt蓹wix虒 last year after seeing the results of the In Plain Sight report. It was announced late last year that the initiative received $662,433 in federal funding.
knknxt蓹wix虒 is being led by an Indigenous Harm Reduction Team (IHRT) 91裸聊视频� which consists of Indigenous nurses, peer outreach workers, Elders and more.
91裸聊视频淭he main goal is to deconstruct colonialism and really provide a safe place for Indigenous people to access safe healthcare,91裸聊视频� said Crystal Smallboy of Big River Cree First Nation, who serves as an IHRT nurse with Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society (KFS).
91裸聊视频淎 lot of the time, they have a bad relationship with the healthcare system. We91裸聊视频檙e trying to just make that safe place for them to come to.91裸聊视频�
The program is a collaboration between a number of local partners that include Urban Matters CCC, the PEOPLE Lived Experience Society, KFS and the City of Kelowna.
The project, which runs from January to September, is divided into three components: outreach with harm reduction services, developing a substance use day-program rooted in Indigenous worldviews, and delivering relationship-building dialogue workshops with the healthcare sector to shift service delivery and decolonize health practices.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a starting place, really,91裸聊视频� said Butler. 91裸聊视频淲e are very hopeful that we91裸聊视频檒l be able to build strong relations and sustain this project in community.91裸聊视频�
Butler said that the relationship-building workshops will be rolled out in the next few weeks, with one of the main objectives to dismantle implicit bias against Indigenous people in the healthcare system, which she said negatively seeps into service delivery.
91裸聊视频淭hese workshops are going to be challenging because we don91裸聊视频檛 know where everybody is at, in terms of their knowledge and their understanding of the colonial history and genocides within Canada,91裸聊视频� she said.
91裸聊视频淭here are some very strong allies in community, and there are people who are just learning.91裸聊视频�
Much of the work completed so far has been on the frontlines. IHRT frontline workers wearing red vests have been patrolling the downtown streets twice a day conducting outreach with Indigenous people in vulnerable circumstances.
In addition to food and harm-reduction supplies, the frontline workers also come equipped with an eagle feather, sage and smudge bowls, medicine ties and dried salmon. Smallboy said that by including cultural values in the outreach work, the hope is that trust is built and that a sense of belonging is created.
91裸聊视频淎 lot of people have had some cultural experiences as a child, and it brings back good memories of that time,91裸聊视频� said Smallboy. 91裸聊视频淩ight away, they open up to you and trust you.91裸聊视频�
As more outreach is conducted and relationships are formed, the next step is to build case-management for those who identify as First Nations, Inuit or Metis, Smallboy said. With a deeper case management system in place, the IHRT wants to support clientele with access to medication, social work and other low-barrier cultural programs or services.
91裸聊视频淚 just hope that they feel that somebody cares for them,91裸聊视频� said Smallboy. 91裸聊视频淛ust to give them a sense of hope to try to pick themselves up, to try harder and know that someone cares enough to take care of themselves more.91裸聊视频�
The aim is that a substance use day-program will be launched in the summer, which will offer services and programs that take people out on the land for canoeing, sweat lodges, harvesting salmon, berry picking and sage picking.
91裸聊视频淩econnecting with culture is huge. A lot of people have been away from their culture for so long 91裸聊视频� they don91裸聊视频檛 even know where to begin,91裸聊视频� said Smallboy.
While the project is still in its early stages, Butler said that she hopes that its impacts are felt across the board 91裸聊视频� on the individual level, on systems and organizations.
91裸聊视频淚 imagine that we will go slow and we91裸聊视频檒l go fast. In a way, it91裸聊视频檚 like harm reduction we want to meet people where they91裸聊视频檙e at,91裸聊视频� she said.
91裸聊视频淲e need to do this walk together. I91裸聊视频檓 really quite curious to see what the appetite is for next steps towards reconciliation.91裸聊视频�
READ MORE: B.C. First Nation orders Trans Mountain to stop work on their land
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