Policy Advisor, Cultural Safety

Come work as a Policy Advisor, Cultural Safety with Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)!

We recognize that our places of work and Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) facilities lie on the traditional, unceded homelands of the Heiltsuk, Kitasoo-Xai’xais, Lil’wat, Musqueam, N’Quatqua, Nuxalk, Samahquam, shíshálh, Skatin, Squamish, Tla’amin, Tsleil-Waututh, Ulkatcho, Wuikinuxv, and Xa’xtsa Nations.

As part of VCH’s deep commitment to cultural safety and humility, the organization seeks to create culturally safe practices and relationships with First Nation, Métis, and Inuit individuals and communities, with an aim to transform care and improve patient experiences and health outcomes for Indigenous peoples in the VCH region.

Reporting to the Policy Director on the Legal Team, with a matrix reporting structure to the Director of Strategic Operations, Performance and Partnerships in Indigenous Health, the Policy Advisor, Cultural Safety (the Policy Advisor) supports the Policy Team to bring a cultural safety and Indigenous-specific anti-racism (ISAR) lens to all policy development at VCH. The Policy Advisor participates in the writing and editing of policies, supports the identification of policy gaps and priorities at VCH, and collaborates with teams and community partners across VCH and beyond to help the Policy Team to develop excellent policies that address cultural safety and ISAR for clients, patients, families, and VCH staff, and rigorous policy processes informed by authentic engagement with Indigenous community partners and Indigenous knowledge and ways of working.

This role is extremely collaborative. The Policy Advisor works closely with all Policy Team staff, Indigenous Health, and other VCH teams—including Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Anti-Racism, and Community Engagement—to support excellence in policy and to nurture relationships that uphold the integrity and effectiveness of the Policy Team and VCH.

As a Policy Advisor, Cultural Safety with Vancouver Coastal Health you will:

• Provide feedback on draft policies and collaborates with Indigenous Health to engage appropriate Indigenous Health team members and other key community partners in the review of policies.
• Identify strategies to decolonize and Indigenize VCH Policy Team processes.
• Conduct research to identify best practices in policy development.
• Draft policy language that appropriately upholds cultural safety in policies, collaborating with Policy Team members.
• Support policy leads to understand the importance of including cultural safety in policy.
• Review existing policies and provide editorial and content recommendations to support alignment with VCH cultural safety and ISAR goals.
• Identify and analyze emerging health system issues, data, and trends such as Ministry of Health Communiqués, legislation changes, public policy developments, and new reports and studies related to cultural safety and anti-Indigenous racism in health care.
• Project manage cultural safety policy and ISAR related initiatives identified by the Policy Director.
• Provide subject matter expertise on cultural safety and ISAR in policy to committees and initiatives at VCH.
• Liaise with cultural safety and ISAR policy leads across the province to identify opportunities to enhance VCH policies.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key internal and external partners to promote and enhance services provided by the Policy Team with sensitivity to diversity and Indigenous people’s needs and experiences.
• Exercise considerable judgment, tact, and discretion in preparing, disclosing, and handling information of a confidential or sensitive nature.
• Develop educational materials to support cultural safety and ISAR in policy development.
• Carry out responsibilities in accordance with health and safety requirements. Immediately report unsafe situations by notifying the Policy Director or other appropriate personnel.
• Attend the offices of the VCH Legal Department and Indigenous Health in person regularly and on dates identified by the Policy Director or the Director of Strategic Operations, Performance and Partnerships to support team collaboration. Attend meetings in person at other locations occasionally to support the work of the Policy Team.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.