Considerations

Create a dual-model of care (Western and Indigenous) – We need to work together.

Recommendation 1:

• Collaborate – build and strengthen alliances and formal partnerships
• Develop Indigenous supports in the heart of the city
• Ensure there are professionals trained in intergenerational trauma
• Include Elders, Mentors and Peers in programming

Considerations

Build on the promising practice in the Priority One culturally supportive housing pilot project.

Recommendation 2:

• Strengthen Indigenous self-identity
• Provide a home, a safe environment – with love and no judgement
• Feast – eat together – share stories around the table, and feed the spirit

Considerations

Build a model of care based on Indigenous teachings, protocols, values and principles.

Recommendation 3:

• Based on respect and taking care of each other
• Foster cultural connections and cultural resurgence
• Make ceremony foundational
• Design with Indigenous natural laws as the guide

Considerations

Increase land-based healing practices – Establish communities of care and healing in the three tribal territories on Vancouver Island and in partnership with Métis Nation BC, each focusing on their unique gifts, land-bases, practices and approaches to healing.

Recommendation 4:

• Focus on traditional knowledge and skills transfer
• Ground programming in Indigenous language for deeper meaning
• Incorporate traditional foods, medicines, and cleansing

Considerations

Strengthen a spirit of alliance across Vancouver Island.

Recommendation 5:

• Envision an island where Indigenous people are whole, safe, strong, housed—transformed through love and care
• Identify sister communities
• Build and maintain strong partnerships, create MoU’s, protocols for practice
• Commit to action through short and long term planning

Action framework

Short-term goals

Recommendation 6:

1. Establish Indigenous supports in Victoria to align traditional practice with Western models of harm reduction
2. Develop a ‘healing house’ to support people being discharged from hospital, treatment and incarceration to provide them with time and support to heal and strengthen their spirit
3. Pilot a Residence Managed Alcohol Program
4. Begin to reach out across the Island to establish pockets of Indigenized harm reduction ‘healing communities’, seek funding
5. Provide culturally supportive housing

Action framework

Medium-term goals

Recommendation 7:

1. Pilot Island Wide ‘healing communities’
2. Conduct research; gather data
3. Expand Managed Alcohol Residence programming
4. Provide culturally supportive housing

Action framework

Long-term goals

Recommendation 8:

1. Open an Indigenous Healing Centre in Victoria for the ASC
2. Provide culturally supportive housing
3. Operate residence MAP programming