Health Promotion and Connector Role for Liver Wellness in Northern Ontario

Job Title: Health Promotion and Connector Role for Liver Wellness in Northern Ontario

Location: Northern Ontario Communities
Employment Type: Part-time (potential for full time)

Position Summary

This role is dedicated to advancing Hepatitis C (HCV) elimination efforts in Ontario through a wholistic wellness lens, grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing, guided by the recommendations in the Ontario Roadmap for Hepatitis C Elimination and supported by the Circle for Liver Wellness Solutions (CLWS). The successful candidate will work in partnership with Indigenous communities to build capacity, enhance knowledge, and promote wellness while addressing systemic barriers to care. The funding for this position is through a time-limited grant with likely extension and aim to build into regional infrastructure funding.

General Responsibilities:
The Indigenous Nurse/Health Promoter will:

• Provide culturally connected health promotion, education, and outreach focused on liver wellness for HCV prevention, testing, and treatment.
• Support community capacity building by working collaboratively with Indigenous leadership, Elders, academic partners, local health teams, public health, research connected to the Ontario HCV elimination roadmap. Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and partner organizations to co-create innovative and culturally connected resources, implement prevention strategies, and improve health equity.
• Facilitate access to HCV screening/testing and linkage to treatment services, including navigation and case management. Provide training in testing modalities and treatment support.
• Promote wholistic wellness approaches that integrate physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
• Develop and deliver community-based workshops and initiatives on liver health, wellness support, harm reduction, and chronic disease prevention through a focus on wellness and the relational connection to culture, community, and land teachings. Liver health promotion is inclusive of fatty liver, cirrhosis etc.
• Travel regularly to Indigenous communities across Ontario to strengthen relationships, support awareness, share resources, deliver education, and faciltiate services.

Skills & Qualifications:

• Registration with College of Nurses of Ontario as a Registered Nurse
• Minimum 3 years nursing experience in community, public, or primary healthcare.
• Demonstrated understanding of Indigenous culture, tradition, and wholistic health.
• Knowledge of hepatitis C, infectious diseases, public health, harm reduction, chronic illness management, health education, relational engagement.
• Strong communication and facilitation skills, appreciation for relational approaches.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural environments.
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively within Ontario, including travel by road and air that will include overnight stays.

A successful candidate:

• Preferred Indigenous self-identification. Lived experience or strong connection to Indigenous communities, and comfortable working in a relational approach.

• Proven ability to work independently. Knowledge of wellbeing approaches. Experience in capacity-building, community development initiatives, and collaboration across disciplines.
• Police vulnerable sector check. Valid drivers license and access to reliable transportation.

Interested candidates please send resume and cover letter to katedunn@yorku.ca