Outreach

gay health careMarch 15 Town Hall was a great success! Thanks to the 17 members in attendance.

RESCHEDULED: GLBTQ community  Town Hall, watch for new date!

Two Town Hall meetings being held to discuss health care needs and issues.  Members and appointed GLBTQ community representatives invited.

 

 

2011-2013 Education and Outreach 

In 2011 we co-presented with Generations project (Vancouver) at the Victoria Eldercare Foundations “Embrace Aging” event. This is a month long education series about topics related to seniors health and issues.  We prepared two workshops “Sexual Diversity: Planning for a Health Future” which was focused towards the general public, and then “Sexual Diversity:   Tips and Resources for Organizations”    geared towards health professionals and organizations.   A total of 25 people attended.

 

Flowing from the second presentation we received a request to help the James Bay Community Project become more GLBTQ sensitive as an organization.  They had already done some work with the Victoria Intercultural Association, so this was a great next step for the organization’s development.  To date, I have had 4 meetings with the Seniors Outreach Coordinator.  They have placed a rainbow sticker at the front door, put VLSCS pamphlets in the display rack, assessed their client intake forms to ensure inclusive language, and has requested some GLBTQ related books to add to their library.  The next step is provide some training to their volunteers and the staff, this is set to happen in October.  Carol MacDonald, Marjorie McIntyre and Pamela Brown are interested in helping with this training which is very appreciated as they have some academic interest in this topic and much research experience.

 This has been a busy year but very satisfying to see an organization embrace the important task of building our community within their existing community.

(P. Parkyn)

 2014 Education and Outreach 

VLSCS is beginning work with Island Health and the Greater Victoria Eldercare Foundation to increase sexual diversity and gender issues knowledge and practices within the Long Term Care and Home Care sectors. 

November 14th: 3 members of the E & O committee met with 4 Island Health staff members at the Aberdeen Hospital Long Term Care facility. This initial discussion focused on clarification of how VLSCS may be able assist with changes being made in their IHealth electronic record and staff educational opportunities. Next meeting will be in January 2015.  

2015 Education and Outreach 

January 16th:  2nd planning meeting between the VLSCS Education committee and staff from Island Health residential services. Meeting was held at the Aberdeen Hospital LTC facility. Progress has been made to begin looking at possible training materials on sexual diversity (2 parts: online and in a class room setting).  If permissions are granted VLSCS hopes to participate in the vetting of existing training materials.  It has been suggested that our committee members should be involved in the delivery of the class room training because our professional backgrounds (Nurses and Social Work) and lived experience in the gay community will help bring meaning  & validity to the topic. Island Health has asked VLSCS for some “Everyone is Welcome Here” posters to put up around their sites. It has also been suggested that we attend a meeting with IH senior managers when the education initiative is brought forward.

February 10th: E & O committee came together to strategize about an overall approach of how we could best work with health partners. It was a very successful gathering. Two interested VLSCS member volunteers  were unable to attend at the last minute, however we welcome their involvement in the future.  Our discussion led to the conclusion that we need to gather others opinions and concerns. Decision to  host two TOWN HALL meetings, one with members and one with the larger GLBTQ community to solicit their ideas and experiences with regards to health care on the Island and future needs.  This information will serve to inform future meetings with health care leaders in seniors care, home support/ home care and possibly acute care as well.

Town Hall meetings at the Cedar Hill Recreation Center are set for March 15th and March 29th for members and the larger community respectively.  Invitations to go out ASAP.

February 13: 3rd planning meeting between VLSCS committee and  Island Health Residential care staff at the Aberdeen Hospital site. Further discuss arose about other IH staff from the Seniors and Spiritual health division working on sexual diversity programming as well. The plan is to communicate with these folks and determine a coordinated effort.  Tentative next meeting will be March 13th.

 

Email advocacy@vlscs.ca if you are interested in more conversation about this.