Health Center looks forward

The Kanesatake Health Center (KHC) has been busy holding community engagements, inviting residents to share their views on the centre’s services and priorities for the future.

The sessions, held since the beginning of March, were part of an effort to gather feedback that will help shape the KHC’s five-year strategic plan.

According to Teiawenhniseráhte Tomlinson, executive director of the KHC, the initiative represents a more comprehensive effort to gather community input than in the past.

“It’s the first time that the KHC has done a comprehensive strategic planning process with community engagement,” said Tomlinson.

The initiative was facilitated by Christianne Jerome Bernard, Mi’kmaq from Gesgapegiag, who is the manager of Indigenous services at the consulting firm MNP. Bernard explained that her team works mostly with Indigenous communities across Canada.

“I do a trauma-informed approach to management and leadership, because we all know that all our communities suffer from trauma,” she said, explaining that taking that into consideration is key when planning and leading communities.

“The firm can make sure that the process flows efficiently, and promoting engagement is always the best way to proceed,” explained Tomlinson.

Bernard and her team were brought on by the KHC to listen to the community and gather feedback about what the centre is doing well and where improvements are needed.

The team facilitated four community engagement events this month, two specifically for youth and elders, and two on March 10 that were open to the whole community.

The information gathered during the sessions will be compiled into a report for the KHC, who will use it alongside other surveys and studies to guide the next five-year plan.

“I think they could bring back the Meals on Wheels for the elderly and the food bank,” said Louise Bonspille, a community member who participated in the event open to the public.

“There’s a lot of people that are struggling in the community to put good, healthy food on the table,” said Bonspille, who explained that with rising food prices and the closest grocery store being in Oka, the community needs more access to affordable and healthy food.

Despite that note of feedback, Bonspille appreciates the KHC’s effort to engage with the community.

“They’ve always listened and taken direction from the community, and for them to refresh their attachment to the community with this is encouraging,” said Bonspille.

During the first public session, Bonspille shared that she hopes more community members engage with events like this, or other events in the community.

“It’s like a matter of ownership, when you participate in the development of events, when you participate in the health center, you feel like you’re part of it and you want it to succeed,” said Bonspille.

Participation for the youth and elders’ session was high, and while only a few community members showed up for the public sessions, Bernard said the conversations were still valuable.

“There was a lot of wisdom shared,” said Bernard.

Bernard explained that while the strategic plan will guide the KHC’s priorities for the next five years, meaningful improvements take time.

“Our goal is to create solid increments of positive change,” said Bernard. “Not everything can be solved in five years, but focusing on the most important priorities can make the biggest impact for the community.”

Tomlinson said the long-term vision goes beyond addressing individual issues.

“We hope to focus on restoring the cultural and community conditions that create health rather than targeting specific issues,” said Tomlinson.

“If we invest in building a healthy system of living, the positive long-term health outcomes will follow, future generations can concentrate on pushing the line further rather than tackling the same problems,” he said.

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Fern Marmont, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter