After some slow years during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Strathcona Community Health Network is looking to re-invigorate itself.
The first part of that was hiring Madison Stewart as the new coordinator.
The position, which has been vacant since Libby King moved on from the role in late 2021, is one of the main liaisons to higher levels of government when it comes to matters dealing with the social determinants of health, or non-medical factors that influence people’s health. Particularly for SCHN these are network development, first nations and cultural safety, healthy children,food security, housing, ageing and caregiver support, and connectivity.
“I would like to have the health network really be a point contact for our nonprofit agencies in Campbell River that our socially minded and and committed to social determinants of Health,” Stewart said. “Without this position some of our external coordination has been at a loss for a government contact and a way to really communicate well with the decision makers in our communities.
“I’m really hoping to fill that gap,” she said.
She said that on top of the network’s strategic plan, her “passions are definitely related to housing and food security and access for rural and remote communities.”
The second part of the re-invigoration is the call for volunteers to join the table of partners. The partners join elected SRD officials, Island Health employees and regional district employees at the table. Most of them are currently representatives of social service agencies. The network is looking for a diverse group of community members to make up the table of partners.
“We’re trying to bring a youth member on, which I think will be really exciting,” Stewart said. “I’m in conversation with a few teachers that could bring us a student that is really interested in the social sector and might have some new and creative ideas for the table.”
The third part is that after the table of partners is established, Stewart will lead them in developing a new strategic plan.
“We’re pretty excited,” she said. “It’ll be the second strategic plan since the health network was first initiated by Island Health in this Strathcona region.”
That process will take place in the fall.
“The greater community can be excited to see our strategic plan roll out in the fall and see maybe what our new project scope will be for the coming years,” she said.
Community members who are interested in a seat at the Table of Partners can contact Stewart at mstewart@srd.ca. Applications are open until June 15.
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marc.kitteringham@campbellrivermirror.com
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