Cultural Grandmother/Knowledge Keeper

Cultural Grandmother/Knowledge Keeper

Full-time; on-site

Context

Indigenous communities have been impacted by a legacy of policies and practices that have obscured cultural knowledge. This has left a void in Urban Indigenous communities as many people don’t have access to our stories, traditional knowledge, and ceremonies.

As a way to bridge that gap and help the community members connect or reconnect to ceremonies, stories, and cultural knowledge, we ensure our Mental Wellness and Addictions team has access to traditional knowledge keepers who can support community members to connect to their culture and in their personal healing journey.

Wabano is looking for someone who has spent time learning from Elders and Knowledge Keepers to fill in the role of Cultural Grandmother. The Cultural Grandmother would bring an in-depth understanding of the culture, stories, and ceremonies.

You are the right person for this role if you are Indigenous, understand how to communicate cultural teachings, and live by the 7 grandfather teachings in your work. Moreover, you also thoroughly enjoy helping community members as they connect to culture in their unique journeys of wellness. This position requires a candidate identifying as First Nations, Inuit or Métis, please self-identify.

The Role

Reporting to Wabano’s Director of Mental Wellness and Addictions Services, the Cultural Grandmother will be working on these main areas:

Client Service & Support

The Cultural Grandmother/Knowledge Keeper supports Wabano and the community by:

• Establishing relationships with staff in the various departments;
• Provide kind, competent and safe care for community members and staff;
• Provide access to teachings and ceremonies for community members and staff;
• Plan ceremonies and teachings according with the seasons;
• Co-facilitate circles related to recovery and wellness with the Addictions staff and Mental Wellness staff.

Record Keeping

Ensure that community and individual interactions are documented as per the culture codes in the database:

• Enter individual and group encounters in the database in a timely fashion;
• Document any internal or external referrals to support the clients healing journey;
• Complete monthly reports using the template provided.

Agency Support

Support the Centre with organizing:

• Lunch and Learns on cultural teachings, including but not limited to being an Oshkaabewis, offering tobacco, seasonal teachings, etc.;
• Opening and closings for special functions at Wabano;
• Ceremonies for staff to help in their well-being on occasion or referral to where staff can learn more.

Qualifications

Don’t disqualify yourself! You may not have all these qualifications, but Wabano values and recognizes the lived experiences of Indigenous people.

We are looking for an individual who will bring cultural knowledge and support to the Wabano team. In addition, they will also have:

• Post-secondary completion in human services or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Mentorship from Elders on ceremony and teachings;
• Four years of experience working in a role of sharing cultural knowledge and programming;
• Ability to facilitate programming involving traditional Indigenous crafts, storytelling and other cultural knowledge/skills;
• Experience working effectively on a team and with a strong client focus;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, particularly Excel, Word and PowerPoint;
• Ability to work flexible hours including evenings and weekends;
• Successful applicant will need to provide references from Elders who have been their mentors.

Salary

Range $50,000 – $55,000 per year + Benefits

Why Work for Us

• Collaborative and Supportive Work Environment
• Comprehensive Group Health and Dental Insurance
• Employee Pension Plan (defined benefits) with matching contribution from Wabano
• Employee Assistance Program – the best in the world
• Four (4) weeks paid vacation time
• Ten (10) paid personal/sick days
• Access to cultural teachings and knowledge keepers
• Work with dynamic teams from various sectors

Application Details

Please submit your application to jobs@wabano.com. Application materials include a cover letter and resume. This opportunity will remain open until filled, so tell us your story early!

Wabano is an inclusive and equitable organization, encouraging applications from qualified candidates, including persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities. The position is open to all qualified applicants, although preference will be given to candidates of Indigenous ancestry (please self-identify in your application).

Wabano is committed to providing employment accommodation in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. If contacted for an employment opportunity or interviewing, please advise if you require accommodation.

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Don’t think this is the right job for you? Let us try and find you the right fit within Wabano.