Queen’s launches health education program in Ontario’s far-north – Kingston | 24CA News
A partnership between the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA), Queen’s University, and the Mastercard Foundation has been shaped to assist develop schooling and employment alternatives for Indigenous youth by creating the Queen’s Weeneebayko Health Education Program.
WAHA and Queen’s Health Sciences will co-develop a college curriculum for well being professions coaching within the western James Bay area.
Queen’s says this system will put together Indigenous college students for careers in drugs, nursing, midwifery, and different well being professions by culturally knowledgeable schooling.
The college provides that programming and sources can be created to allow native youth to pursue well being professions coaching proper from highschool.
“This is a very important initiative for the Weeneebayko Region that will help increase the capacity for culturally safe healthcare that is directed and delivered by health professionals from our communities,” mentioned Lynne Innes, president and chief government of the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority.
“It is exciting to work together on this new approach that will support Indigenous youth as they pursue healthcare careers and build a stronger, healthier future for the communities we serve.”
Queen’s says the initiative will tackle healthcare challenges dealing with distant, Indigenous communities, together with low accessibility to suppliers and services, the necessity for cultural security, well being end result gaps, and the underrepresentation of Indigenous peoples amongst well being professionals.
This challenge builds on a long-standing relationship between Queen’s, the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority, and the communities of the James Bay area,” mentioned Murray Sinclair, Queen’s chancellor.
“It offers hope for Reconciliation through new approaches to educating and supporting Indigenous youth in pursuing careers in healthcare. I believe this can help deliver the transformation needed in Indigenous healthcare in Canada.”

The partnership hopes to ascertain a brand new coaching website in Moosonee to serve coastal neighborhood websites.
The coaching applications will intend to assist construct complete, sustainable, community-centred healthcare-improving affected person outcomes and tackle gaps in supply.
Key elements of the curriculum embrace utilizing a decolonized method, mentorship and culturally protected care.
Queen’s says the partnership can even set up a Health Career Pathways Program to offer profession counselling, sources, mentorship, and software help, in addition to constructing entry to prerequisite programs to help purposes in well being sciences.
This program will help Indigenous well being transformation — bettering regional well being outcomes, addressing gaps in care supply, and constructing the Indigenous well being workforce,” mentioned Jane Philpott, dean of Queen’s Health Sciences.
“We look forward to building this dynamic educational model alongside the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and local Indigenous leaders, and we thank the Mastercard Foundation for supporting this crucial work.”
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