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CANADA’S BEST DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS (2024)
Real change comes from within at Niagara Health
hen Charity Beland joined Niagara Health in 2023, she was excited by the opportunity to make a real impact by creating a safe and welcoming environment for the Indigenous community. “After working in the community as an advocate in health care, I wanted to do more to create change on a systemic level,” says Beland, manager of the new Indigenous health services and Reconciliation team. A year later, Beland is inspired by the change she sees and helps implement at Niagara Health, one of Ontario’s largest hospital organizations. Previously, Beland could provide only so much patient support, but working with Niagara Health gave her the ability to affect the big
picture for Indigenous patients accessing health care in Niagara. The Indigenous health services and Reconciliation team was created to help improve health care equity and safety for Indigenous community members after the tragic death of a young woman, Heather Winterstein, in 2021. “To have an entire team dedicated to not only improving the experience that Indigenous patients have when navigating the health-care system but also gaining the opportunity to make changes to the system itself – it’s humbling but also a huge responsibility,” Beland says. “I have the ability to raise awareness about the policies and practices that create inequities, and be heard and respected by the leadership team at Niagara Health.”
The team of five supports staff, patients and families across all Niagara Health sites through advocacy, cultural and emotional support, and access to traditional medicines, ceremonies and elders. The team is one of several new diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives Niagara Health has implemented for both patients and staff with active support and guidance from the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee. As part of its holistic approach to building a diverse and inclusive culture, Niagara Health has prioritized educating and training its teams by developing dedicated resources such as videos, FAQs and reading material to support further learning. It has also launched a bursary program, a mentorship program, mandatory cultural awareness
training, Honouring Truth and Reconciliation Month, and an internationally educated nurse’s orientation program. “People are the basis of everything we do at Niagara Health – both patients and our team members,” explains Fiona Peacefull, executive vice president of human resources. “Connecting with a variety of communities and building partnerships with other organizations that are serving our patients help us to deliver better care.”
“Our goal is to have Indigenous community members enter any Niagara Health site and feel welcome, respected and safe to access care that is reflective of who they are and what they need.” — Charity Beland Manager, Indigenous Health Services and Reconciliation
Charity Beland, manager, Indigenous health services and Reconciliation, at Niagara Health.
The new bursary program grows talent from within the organization by providing funding for members of equity-deserving groups to pursue a range of professional development. This includes educational opportunities to bridge registered practical nurse to registered nurse certifications. Launched organization-wide in 2023, a new mentorship program provides professional growth, reduces barriers for equitydeserving and under-represented