Wellbeing

Cultural Wellbeing and Healing

Members want to increase supports to help heal from the historic and ongoing effects of trauma. They want to create more spaces and opportunities to heal through cultural connections.

• Increased funding for healing programming in the Squamish Valley

• More spiritual-focused healing, like through ceremony, prayers, and with traditional healers

• Use a harm-reduction approach for healing 

• Include culture in the healing of intergenerational trauma

• More programming for families who have experienced the effects of residential schools and day schools

• More holistic medicine use and healing practices

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Health Supports and Services

Members want to increase access to wellness programming and providers. They feel it is important to provide more healing supports for members with substance use issues and addictions.

• Ensure off-reserve members can access on-reserve medical services

• Health clinic with doctors, holistic health workers, and outreach workers for Squamish Valley residents 

• More access to mental health services, psychiatry, counselling, and safe, de-stigmatized spaces 

• Recreation, fitness programming, and facilities

• Self-care education like laundry, cleaning, and other life skills

• Develop a medical ‘hub’ clinic with a dentist, CT scanner, MRI, medical marijuana, and pharmacy

• Promote health awareness and communicate what services are available to members

• Build and provide programs for members to access substance-use and addiction treatment and post-treatment support on reserve (including a treatment and detox centre, transitional housing, sober living housing, education and support resources) 

 

Food Security 

Members want increased access to affordable and nutritious foods and want to participate in traditional food harvesting and preparation.

• Start a community food pantry in the Squamish Valley

• Increase access to healthy foods for all

• Teach members how to prepare, preserve, and use traditional foods and medicines

• Connect members with nutritionists

• Start a community-run garden/farm with traditional foods and medicines

• Establish a food sovereignty committee 

• Distribute traditional foods for wellbeing

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Family and Community Wellbeing

Members are interested in increasing access for Elders, youth, 2SLGBTQ+, and those with disabilities to wellbeing programs and supports. They want increased supports for children and families with youth in care.

• Build an Elders care home and other options for aging in place

• Provide in-home nursing and house care

• Offer supports like counselling to keep families together instead of placing children in care 

• Provide supports for youth aging out of care or children who are living in care, including financial support, and housing 

• Offer programming and safe spaces for women and families to access when fleeing domestic violence 

• Offer programming and awareness training for the prevention of sexual assault including education of young men and boys 

• Create safe spaces and supports for 2SLGBTQ+ youths/adults