First community open house builds stronger relationships

Nicole Mager [B.Ed./03] did not have a lot of supports while she was in university.

“It’s definitely different than when we were in school,” said Mager, divisional principal in the Louis Riel School Division (LRSD), after a tour during the first annual Rady Faculty of Health Sciences’ Community Open House. “You just had to figure it all out on your own and I wanted to quit a few times.”

Mager, who supports Indigenous education and approaches to close gaps in achievements in LRSD, said she’s happy for future students after seeing the supports and spaces available today at the University of Manitoba.

“A lot of kids aren't thinking post-secondary because they're scared, and they're not sure,” said Mager. “If we can do early introductions and smooth some of those pieces out and let kids feel welcome, then I think that would be a cool partnership.”

Supporting pathways for under-represented, underserved communities.

“This is a new beginning point for us,” said Dr. Marcia Anderson, vice-dean of Indigenous health, social justice and anti-racism in the Rady Faculty at the Oct. 8 event attended by around 30 community organizations.

“We have to be more open to community. We both need to be more present out in community and have more community coming in here.”

In Anderson’s opening address, she shared the goal of developing a more representative health workforce.

Hiwot Amare, who works with educators, elementary to high school students, and newcomer English student service agencies, was excited to hear Anderson speaking about the different health-care fields.

“There are different departments, you don’t have to be a doctor. They have to know that that opportunity exists. So, I look for that,” said Amare, who runs a newcomer education partnership with Immigration Partnership Winnipeg.

Opening to the community around us.

Following a lunch and brief welcome in the Brodie Centre atrium, community members connected with UM staff, students and faculty as well as one another. Over 50 booths and displays lined the Brodie Centre mezzanine and Joe Doupe Concourse showcasing RFHS programs, services, spaces and initiatives.

A Bannatyne campus tour for community members included stops at the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry dental clinic, the Indigenous health collection in Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Library, Ongomiizwin Education, Rady Family Centre and the Clinical Learning and Simulation Facility.

The faculty’s simulation program allows students to practice real-life scenarios including specific anti-racism and cultural safety training where learners apply evidence-based guidelines across different population groups, said Anderson.

Input from community members can help identify community-informed communication needs, patterns or gaps that people are experiencing, she said.

“It's really important when we're developing those scenarios that we have those strong community relationships,” said Anderson. “The scenario can be more targeted to what people in the community are actually experiencing in health care and what they want to experience.”

Kagowa Kuruneri, director, Office of Equity, Access and Participation in the Rady Faculty, reconnected with familiar faces and started building new connections at the event.

“I had a lot of great conversation with folks interested in collaborating on future projects.” said Kuruneri. “I’m looking forward to continuing our current momentum and turning these new connections into lasting partnerships.”

The faculty is genuine in building stronger relationships with all communities, said Derek Stewner, acting director and workforce development and pathways program manager in the Rady Office of Community Engagement.

“We take up a big footprint here in the city in this area. We need to be responsible to not just the surrounding area but to all of Winnipeg and throughout Manitoba. And your feedback is what’s going to help drive that.”