In 2016 PAN was invited by First Nations Health Authority, and its partners – Chee Mamuk, Vancouver Coastal Health, YouthCO Yúusnewas, CATIE, and the BC Centre for Disease Control – to enter into a partnership to co-host the Educators’ Forum: Promoting Effective STBBI, HIV, Hepatitis C and Harm Reduction Education with Indigenous Peoples of BC. This event ran annually until the Spring of 2023. Due to an organizational realignment within FNHA, the team previously responsible for the event was disbanded and in consultation with members of that former team it was decided to respectfully retire the event. PAN continues to host an annual capacity and community building event, working with a group of partners specific to the content and location of the event.
This professional development opportunity gives participants skills and cultural competence in a variety of topics:
- building respectful and culturally safe connections with Indigenous people and communities
- promotion of culturally safe programs for Indigenous people
- culturally safe work relationships and environments
- STBBI, HIV, Hepatitis C basics, treatment, and research
- harm reduction information and research
- health promotion
2024
The 2024 gathering was held on the traditional territory of the Syilx people of the Okanagan Nation, in what is often referred to as Vernon. Some of the presentation slides are available to view.
Fall 2023
We gathered again in the fall of 2023 for the Capacity and Community Building Gathering. As noted above the Educators’ Forum/Roundtable event was respectfully retired after the Spring 2023 event. The event was held on the unceded traditional territories of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation. We thank the Carrier/Dakelh peoples for having us as guests in their traditional territory. The event gathered people working in HIV, hepatitis C, STBBI health promotion and harm reduction from around the province and offer capacity and community building resources for folks new and experienced in their work, with a focus on dialogue and community resource sharing. View program.
Spring 2023
We were able to gather in person in the spring of 2023 for the Educators’ Roundtable (although, ironically, we were missing a PAN team member due to …. COVID). We met on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish people, which includes Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and Musqueam First Nations. See program.
2022
Due to ongoing COVID considerations, this program was virtual and featured Len Pierre from the Katzie First Nation. “Len is an educator, consultant, TEDx Speaker, social activist, traditional knowledge keeper, and cultural practitioner.” (from Len’s site.) We have worked with Len on numerous projects and were happy to be part of the learning that unfolded when we were together.
2021
In March of 2021 we went virtual due to COVID-19 travel and gathering restrictions. We asked that everyone come committed to create the kind of connections that happen at the face to face event, which has always been an event where people talk about the meaningful relationships that develop as people share their work and learning. The upside of going virtual is that we recorded a good portion of the programming, which can be viewed on-demand. To respect the unique gathering of shared time and space, not all elements are available for on-demand viewing.
2020
In 2020 we gathered March 3rd and 4th, just days before COVID shut down in-person gatherings. We met on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish people, which includes Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and Musqueam First Nations. See the program.
Select slides available:
- Putting the Equity in to Elimination: Opportunities and Challenges Along the Path to Hepatitis C Elimination in BC Presenter: Sofia Bartlett
- Pandemics and epidemics: Causes, responses, and community protection Presenter: Margo Pearce
- FOXY & SMASH Information Session Presenters: Inuk McKay, Anna Seagrave and Savannah Beaulieu
- Hepatitis C Bingo! Presenter: Cheryl Reitz
2019
The 4th Educators’ Forum: Promoting Effective STBBI, HIV, Hepatitis C and Harm Reduction Education with Indigenous Peoples of BC took place February 12 and 13, 2019 on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish people, which includes Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and Musqueam First Nations.
Select slides available:
Self-reflexivity: examining our positions of power and privilege
Presenters: Emily Sollows and Eris Nyx, BC Centre for Disease Control
Harm Reduction for Alcohol
Presenters: Loretta Brown, Rob Morgan and Brittany Graham
Decolonizing Gender
Presenters: Atticus Courtoreille and Larissa Wahpooseyan, Yúusnewas/YouthCO
Knock 4 Naloxone – Wa K?wat Kwi S7a?y’nexw(Saving Lives) & Blanketing our people with 2-Spirits – Nch’u?7mut (One Love)
Presenter: Charmaine Thomas, Squamish First Nation. The timing of our 2019 included a dump of snow in Vancouver which challenged the travel arrangements for some participants and presenters. Due to the snow, Charmaine could not attend the event but shared her resources.
First People’s principles of learning
Presenter: Len Pierre, Kwantlen Polytechnic University/First Nations Health Authority
Impacts of Stigma on Health and Connection: the BC People Living with HIV Stigma Index
Presenters: Antonio Marante and Janet Madsen, PAN
For more information about the the Capacity and Community Building Gathering (and the former Educators’ Forum/Roundtable), please contact Stacy Leblanc, Director of Capacity Building Initiatives.