How We Work
Mission
The Alberni Clayoquot Health Network is a community driven collective which builds partnerships and capacity through out the Alberni Clayoquot to effect action around complex social issues.
Vision
The Network builds a common understanding of the Social Determinants of Health in the Alberni Clayoquot to envision systemic change and act around health equity, sustainable communities, and justice.
Values
- Hishuk̓isḥ tswalk – We recognize that the Health Network exists within the ḥahuułi of the Nuu-chah-nulth People. We strive to find culturally appropriate pathways to collaborate, plan and work together that legitimize traditional knowledge, wisdom, and the lived experience of people. We acknowledge the interconnectedness of our region, the lands, people, elements, successes, and challenges.
- ʔiisaak– We hold up respect and responsibility in our work and relationships. We share knowledge, listen to understand, explore ideas, and apply information together to generate understanding and solutions.
- Ongoing Learning – We value people’s contributions and are mindful and respectful of differing opinions. We embrace many ways of knowing, aiming to enhance and grow our understanding with multiple avenues of information. Our network learning and unlearning is a nonlinear process allowing for a process improvement approach where differing worldviews to come together.
- Relationships – We have accountability and responsibility to hold relationships in value, with dignity and respect. We take time to cultivate relationships, connecting people and ideas with purpose and intention. The table promotes a culture of active participation, sharing of community assets and resources across the region.
- Equity – The Alberni Clayoquot is an expansive rural and remote region covering 6577 km2 including three municipalities, ten Nuu Chah Nulth Nations and six Electoral Areas within its boundaries. We acknowledge that local realities, population demographics, socioeconomics and health indicators can vary significantly between people, communities, and regions. We work to increase equity within these realities, ensuring that all residents of the Alberni Clayoquot have access to the resources which assist them in building good health.
- Sustainability – We are accountable with the resources entrusted to us, in our planning and actions. We recognize the interconnectedness and relationship between the land and environment on our health. We promote a collaborative approach to planning and project implementation which takes these synergistic relationships into account.
- Innovation – We aspire to constantly evolve, elevate, and optimize ways to better serve and empower our communities. We embrace experimentation and creative thought, employing a regenerative process to explore, develop, grow, mature, and release actions in our approach.
Principles of Purpose and Good Relations
The work of the Alberni Clayoquot Health Network is guided by the following principles. These principles inform the structure and development of our meetings, governance, and the implementation of our projects. We aim to engage meaningfully with communities of the Alberni Clayoquot to move forward systemic change and build healthy communities that work for all people.
Social Determinants of Health
•We recognise that over 60% of health outcomes are shaped by the 12 Social Determinants of Health.
•We work to promote upstream interventions to support our health partners in their work.
•We promote a focus on building healthy communities with local governments and community stakeholders.
Equity
•We center our work in the 4 aspects of equity
• Procedural – representation in the process
• Distributional – increasing access to the most underserved
• Structural – acknowledgement of underlying structural and institutional systemic changes
•Transgenerational – impact of action or failure to act on future generations
Systems Change
•We are tough on systems and soft on people.
•We work to identify and address root causes of systems inequity.
•We utilize frameworks such as Collective Impact to guide our work.
•We promote information sharing, collaboration and cellective resource planning.
•We allow for experimentation and learning in our process.
Anti-Racism
•We reflect on our intentions by practicing WAIT – Why Am I Talking.
•We reflect on the dynamics of White Supremacy Culture and reflect on how we can improve our work through this lens.
•We practice active listening and reflect this in our processes.
Decolonization
•We commit to learning about principles of decolonization individually and as a network.
•We challenge the status quo and look for inclusive ways to work together.
•We are nimble in our network structures to ensure relationship and trust are centred in all our work.
•We recognize this work takes time and dedication to learning and unlearning.
Want to know more?
Check out our network information and governance documents for more information!
ACHN Info and Governance