Posted • Last updated
Closed
Commitment: Long-term
Connection method: Virtual
Open to Provincial Region, Indigenous patient and client partners
Last updated
Volunteer Opportunity
Have you had a baby in the last 2 years? Would you like to have a voice in projects such as updating prenatal education, health promotion materials, and other projects? If yes, Perinatal Services BC (PSBC) Indigenous Patient and Client Voices Circle could be the opportunity for you!
PSBC is looking for Indigenous postpartum patients and clients and/or their family members, who are passionate about improving health outcomes of pregnant individuals and their newborns.
Lead Organization/Department
Perinatal Services BC (PSBC)
Aim
PSBC would like to invite you to join our Indigenous Patient and Client Voices Circle, where our aim is to create a sharing circle with Indigenous patient and client voices who can provide the necessary, relevant, and important input required to ensure that our work is culturally safe, appropriate and relevant. We respect, value and seek an opportunity to engage with Indigenous patients and clients in the spirit of reciprocity, and it is with humbleness and humility that we recognize and value knowing how our work lands for Indigenous peoples and if it meets the needs of our patients and clients.
As members of the Indigenous Patient and Client Voices Circle, patient and clients will support:
• The development of prenatal education and resources that recognize pregnancy and birth as a sacred, natural and culturally significant celebration in a family’s life
• Creating resources for prenatal education that are inclusive of cultural diversity, gender identity and gender expression
• Navigating a digital platform to best suit your needs
• Providing insights and experiences with prenatal education: what went well and were there any gaps experienced?
• Projects on virtual health, screening and pathways of care
• Updating health care provider resources
• Reviewing parent facing resources
• Being involved with patient and provider education
• Assisting and establishing health promotion and disease prevention materials
Level of Engagement
This opportunity is at the level of consult on the spectrum of engagement. The promise to you, the patient and client voice, is that the health care partner will listen to and acknowledge your ideas and concerns, and provide feedback on how your input affected the decision.
Eligibility
Open to Indigenous patients and clients from across the province who:
• Are thinking about or planning to have a baby in the next year, currently pregnant or have had a baby in the last 2 years. This can also be family members who are supporting you
• Are comfortable sharing their experiences and giving feedback in a small group environment
• Previous patient or client advisory group experience is an asset but not required
• Have a passion for prenatal education/health promotion and information from pre-pregnancy, pregnancy to postpartum, newborn care and parenting
• Are comfortable attending online meetings via Zoom
As connection & relationship building is important to PSBC, we would like to meet with patient and client voices as part of our selection process.
If you have a strong interest in this work but have not yet completed a PVN orientation and Patient Partner Commitments, are unsure if your experience is a good fit or feel another format of engagement would work better with your availability, please contact Cassy Mitchell.
Logistics
• Number of vacancies: up to 15
• Date and Time: Meeting schedule to be determined based on the availability of advisory circle members. It is anticipated that monthly meetings will occur up to 1.5 hours in duration starting mid-January 2023.
• Location: Online meetings via Zoom
• Commitment: 12 months with the possibility of renewal
Reimbursement
No out-of-pocket expenses are anticipated for this engagement opportunity. However, if you meet the eligibility criteria, but have concerns about your ability to participate, please contact Cassy Mitchell cmitchell@bcpsqc.ca to see if support options are available. We are always seeking to better understand and reduce barriers to participation.
Recognition for time will be provided according to Perinatal Services BC organizational policy at $30 per hour.
Background
Perinatal Services BC (PSBC) provides leadership, support, and coordination for the strategic planning of perinatal services in British Columbia and is the central source in the province for evidence-based perinatal information. PSBC collaborates with the Ministry of Health, health authorities, and other key partners. Perinatal Services BC is the central source in the province for evidence-based perinatal information. Through partnerships and collaboration and by building a high-quality system of care across the continuum, we will optimize pregnancy and birth outcomes as a foundation for a healthy population.
Building a foundation of patient- and family-centred care is a priority within British Columbia’s health care system. To achieve this goal at PSBC, we want to engage patients, caregivers and the public by bringing together diverse voices, ideas, experiences, expertise and evidence to improve the quality of care.
There is a risk that being part of this project might bring up uncomfortable feelings about care received in the past. This is an extremely caring group who will do their best to be supportive and compassionate. We strive to be culturally safe, and trauma and resiliency informed with the goal of working in partnership with patients and community providers.
