Pathways to Building Cancer Education
With the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, FNHMA is developing a comprehensive public health workshop focused on the First Nations cancer journey. This curriculum is grounded in the expressed needs of health managers and integrates the theoretical frameworks adopted by the FNHMA project team, such as the Vision Wheel, Two-Eyed Seeing, and Indigegogy. The overarching goal of this curriculum is to equip health managers with the skills to provide holistic, culturally responsive support for community members on their cancer journey.
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The outline below shows what can be expected in the 3-day workshop curriculum, which will be pilot tested in April 2026.
Day 1: Grounding in Vision & Knowledge – Seeing the Path (East & West Quadrants)
The primary goal of Day 1 is to establish a shared understanding of the systemic challenges and to introduce the Vision Wheel as a powerful, culturally-grounded framework for action. This approach prevents participants from becoming overwhelmed by the scale of the problem by immediately equipping them with a paradigm for change. It shifts the narrative from one of deficit to one of agency and strategic possibility, framing the FNHM as a visionary leader with a plan.
Day 2: Building Relationships & Navigating Systems – Weaving the Connections (South & West Quadrants)
Day 2 transitions from foundational knowledge to practical application, focusing on the complex realities of system navigation and relationship-building. The curriculum intentionally pairs the highly technical content on jurisdictional navigation with the deeply relational content on cultural integration. This structure reinforces the Two-Eyed Seeing approach, demonstrating that navigating bureaucracy and advocating for culture are intertwined aspects of the FNHM's role as a bridge maker. Success in building a strong relationship with a provider (South Quadrant) directly enables success in integrating cultural practices into a care plan (West Quadrant).
Day 3: Committing to Action & Sustaining Our Spirit – Doing the Work (North Quadrant & Sacred Centre)
The final day is designed to transition participants from learning to action. It focuses on equipping them with the tools for strategic advocacy and culminates in the creation of a concrete, actionable plan. A common failure of professional development is a lack of follow-through; this day is structured to mitigate that risk by creating momentum, accountability, and a plan for sustainability. The 90-day plan transforms the training from a passive event into the launchpad for a community of practice dedicated to tangible change.
For more information about this project, please get in touch with Andrea Aiabens, Special Projects Lead.