Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe’iyewigamig’s health promoters offer knowledge and experience activities in a number of key topic areas.
Aimed at promoting and maintaining wellness through healthy eating and active living, activities include fitness classes, community gardening, community kitchens, and cooking classes to name just a few examples. Activities are geared to the unique cultural, economic, and geographic circumstances of our catchment area, and also focus specifically on prevention of diabetes.
Health promoters can provide culturally appropriate information and education on a broad range of sexual and reproductive health issues.
Support for healthy pregnancy and infant development is available. Health promoters also partner with local schools to promote positive learning environments and to incorporate traditional activities that focus on positive, healthy family lifestyles. In addition to promoting positive outcomes, prevention of FASD is a specific goal of our programming. Support is available for individuals and families living with FASD.
Healthy sexuality is a high priority. Information and support is available for individuals and family members living with HIV/AIDS. Rapid, confidential HIV screening is also available and can be done anonymously on request.
In addition to offering culturally relevant smoking prevention initiatives, WNHAC staff can support smoking cessation through a variety of strategies including peer support and nicotine replacement therapies.
Information, education, and preventative treatment is available to children in member First Nation communities. Health promoters and registered dental hygienists work with other members of the health team to support overall health. They work with diabetes clinicians to provide screening, education, and referrals as an important component of effective diabetes management.
