Victoria Divisions of Family Practice

Cultural Safety and Humility

 

Cultural safety is an outcome based on respectful engagement that recognizes and strives to address power imbalances inherent in the health care system. It results in an environment free of racism and discrimination, where people feel safe when receiving health care.

Cultural humility is a process of self-reflection to understand personal and systemic biases and to develop and maintain respectful processes and relationships based on mutual trust. Cultural humility involves humbly acknowledging oneself as a learner when it comes to understanding another’s experience.

The Victoria Division is committed to creating culturally safe and respectful environments for all, implemented through the Victoria Primary Care Network.

To understand indigenous cultural safety, please see the below resources and training opportunities.
 

Training

  • San'yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training - Funded Seats Available!

    San'yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training, “Core ICS Health”, is available online and is self-paced over an eight-week window and typically takes between eight-ten hours to complete. This self-learning program has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada for up to 20 Mainpro+ credits. The course is available complimentary for those that have an Island Health email address. For those not employed by Island Health, the Division is currently supporting the $300.00 registration fees, as of March 2021. Click here for information on the training.

    Please email Alyssa Beurling at abeurling@victoriadivision.ca for details on how to support your registration.
  • Island Health’s Aboriginal Health Program, “For the Next Seven Generations – for the Children” is available online to the public.  The course is self-paced and takes approximately 3-4 hours to complete.  Click here to learn more.
     

Resources

Power and Privilege in Canada by Dr Amy Tan

The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America by Thomas King

The Deepest Well by Nadine Burke Harris

21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph, et al.

Project of Heart: Illuminating the hidden history of Indian Residential Schools in BC by the BCTF.”

The Indigenous Learning Series (Canada School of Public Service)

BCCFP: Practicing Cultural Safety and Humility in the Response to COVID-19

BC Learning Circle: Cultural Safety in the Face of a Pandemic: Historic and Contemporary Realities through a Trauma Informed Lens

https://www.fnha.ca/Documents/FNHA-Care-of-the-Deceased-Body-Guide.pdf

Creating a Climate for Change -Cultural Safety and Humility in Health

FHNA website

Island Health Aboriginal Health

 

Some free cultural safety modules through UVic:

 

Resources for practicing differently with Indigenous clients:

 

Examples of how to put cultural safety into action:

 This map of our region can help start conversations about the specific Nations a care provider might serve and open up avenues for learning about those specific Nations rather than Indigenous Peoples generally.

The Richardson and Williams (2007) article may be a starting point for conversations as a learning group.

 

Addressing Racism in Team-Based Care