Community Engagement

The delivery of health care services is complex and relies on the collaboration of many. To integrate services and improve population health, we work in partnership and share responsibility with our:

  • colleagues
  • clients
  • communities
  • municipal and government organizations

Island Health is committed to working closely with the communities it serves.

Community Health Network

Check out a Community Health Networks Learning Day to find out how community health networks catalyze collective action to help improve community health and wellness. 

Island Health’s Community Health Networks bring together multiple partners to improve community health and wellness by catalyzing collective action to address locally prioritized social determinants of health and modifiable risk factors in a way that no one group, or sector could alone. CHNs enable a societal approach to health promotion by mobilizing the influence and resources of local leaders and partners from across sectors including local governments, local First Nations, educational institutions, Divisions of Family Practice, non-profit organizations, business sector representatives, provincial ministries; as well as the influence and action of community members from diverse backgrounds who may not be affiliated with any particular organization.

Health Networks facilitate dialogue and understanding amongst citizens and stakeholders,  build partnerships and capacity; share ideas and resources and create innovative solutions that impact the social determinants of health and work towards sustainable healthy communities. CHN’s are grounded in research, facilitate collaboration, action and connections for good health in our communities.  Together stakeholders focus on prevention, wellness and health promotion,  leveraging existing resources, building on community strengths and assets, generating system change and co-creating equitable and health promoting policies, programs, infrastructure and amenities.

Community Health Networks

Sooke Region Health Network

The Sooke Region Communities Health Network (SRCHN) is a cooperative non-profit organization with charitable status with a vision to create healthy thriving communities within the Sooke Region. Its mission is to support healthy lives in healthy communities through innovative, collaborative development and improvement of services for everyone.

The Sooke Region Health Network acknowledges the traditional territories of the Coast Salish, SCIA’NEW Nation and T’Sou-ke Nation, and Nuu-chah-nulth Pacheedaht Nation to the west, upon which we work together to improve health and wellbeing for all.

Website: www.sookeregionchn.org

Contact: Christine Bossi, srchn@sookeregion.com, 778-365-1878

Regional Outcomes Monitoring CHN

The Regional Outcomes Monitoring (ROM) Collaborative is a voluntary multi-sectoral group working to inform community health and wellbeing policies, program planning and decision-making in the capital region through ongoing collection, consolidation and analysis of regional data. The ROM is operating as a Community Health Network (CHN) for the Capital Regional District. 

The Regional Outcomes Monitoring Community Health Network acknowledges that it’s work encompasses the Traditional Territory of the Lək̓ʷəŋən speaking peoples and recognizes the First Nations in the region including the Lək̓ʷəŋən(Songhees) & Xwsepsum(Esquimalt) Nations, W̱SÁNEĆ Nations {W̱JOȽEȽP(Tsartlip), BOḰEĆEN (Pauquachin), SȾÁUTW̱(Tsawout), W̱SIKEM(Tseycum)}, and MÁLEXEȽ(Malahat) & Pune’laxutth’(Penelekut) Nations.

Website:  www.crd.bc.ca/project/community-health-wellbeing

Contact: Amanda Ng, ang@crd.bc.ca, 250-360-3174

Our Cowichan Communities Health Network

Our Cowichan Communities Health Network is made up of local health organizations, non-profit societies, volunteer groups and government representatives. Our vision is for all people of Cowichan communities to be able to enjoy health and wellbeing. Our mission is to be a collaborative network of organizations and individuals who facilitate dialogue, learn, share information and generate action on the 12 determinants of health. Considering the whole picture, we lead change to improve health and wellness outcomes. 

Our Cowichan Communities Health Network acknowledges that it operates within the traditional, unceded territories of the Cowichan, Ditidaht, Penalkut, Halaht, Stz’uminus, Ts’uubaa-asatx, Lyackson, and Malahat First Nations.

Website: www.ourcchn.ca

Contact: Cindy Lise, cindylisecchn@shaw.ca, 250-709-5062

Oceanside Health & Wellness Network

The Oceanside Health and Wellness Network strives to facilitate a collaborative environment that engages a broad range of members reflecting the diversity of our region and supports grassroots-informed initiatives to improve wellness in measurable ways. Our mission is to ensure Oceanside residents are part of a healthy, caring, collaborative community that builds on strengths to address unique and common needs. 

Oceanside Health and Wellness Network acknowledges that it exists on the traditional and unceded territory of the of the Qualicum and Snaw-naw-as First Nations.

Website: https://www.oceansidehealthandwellnessnetwork.ca/ 

Contact: Jane Vinet, info.ohwn@gmail.com, 250-739-1755

Nanaimo Area Health Network 

The Nanaimo Area Health Network is currently in development. A group of indigenous and settler community members are working alongside local decision makers with the help of a coordinator to develop a new network to improve the quality of life in Nanaimo and surrounding communities by prioritizing and addressing key issues such as poverty, employment, social connectedness, literacy, child development, access to nature, and the impacts of colonization, and systemic racism. The network will work together to create policies, programs, infrastructure and amenities that will make this a better place for everyone to live, work, learn and play.  
The network is made up of people living and/or working in Nanaimo, Snuneymuxw and surrounding areas from Yellowpoint to Lantzville Lantzville to Yellow Point, including Gabriola, Protection and Mudge islands. The network acknowledges that it exists on the traditional and unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw First Nation. 

Website: tbd

Contact: Jane Vinet, coordinator.nchn@gmail.com, 250-739-1755

Alberni Clayoquot Health Network

The purpose of the ACHN is to network like-minded organizations, agencies, and networks working to improve community health. We aim to “network the networks” to better support the work you are already doing. We aim to provide supports and capacity to systems enabling us to work more effectively as a region, where no centralised leadership exists. We have committed to taking a convening role to move forward planning and implementation activities. Using a collective impact framework to identify our role for the work in which we engage, we are continuously scanning for opportunities to support, convene and increase capacity to impactful initiatives in our region.

The Alberni-Clayoquot Health Network would like to acknowledge that it exists on the traditional territory of the Nuu Chah Nulth people. This includes the traditional territories of the Ditidaht, Huu-ay-aht, Hupacasath, Tseshaht, Uchucklesaht, Ahousaht, Hesquiaht, Tla-o-qui-aht, Toquaht and Yuu-cluth-aht Nations.

Website: www.achn.ca

Contact: Marcie DeWitt, achn@acrd.bc.ca, 250-726-5019

Comox Valley Community Health Network

The Comox Valley Community Health Network is a community-driven network that facilitates collective action to positively impact the social determinants of health in the Comox Valley. We believe a healthy, sustainable, resilient community is a shared responsibility. 

The Comox Valley Community Health Network respectfully acknowledges that it operates on the unceded traditional territory of the K’òmoks First Nation and its members live, work and play within this territory

Website: www.cvchn.ca

Contact: info@cvchn.ca 

Strathcona Community Health Network

The Strathcona Community Health Network is an intersectoral collaborative partnership that works to address health and well-being upstream, focusing on root causes before people get sick. Our aim is to address the social determinants of health at a systems level. Importantly, the Health Network is not involved in looking at deficiencies of health services. The work of the Health Network is directed by a cross-sectoral group called the Table of Partners. 

The Strathcona Community Health Network works within the territories of Kwakwaka'wakw, Nu-chah-nulth, and Coast Salish peoples and includes Homalco, We Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum, Klahoose, Kwiakah, Tlowitsis, Mowachaht/Muchalaht, Ehattesaht, Nuchatlaht, Ka:'yu:'k't'h' and Che:k:tles7et'h' First Nations.

Website: www.strathcona-chn.net

Contact: Libby King, lking@srd.ca, 778-348-0762

Mount Waddington Health Network

The Mount Waddington Health Network is a group of invested, caring people and organizations who work together to strategize ways to make our people and communities healthier. We do this collaboratively, with a focus on cultural safety and humility. From leads of organizations to the most vulnerable in society, everyone has an equal voice at our table and in our planning. Our vision is “healthy people, healthy communities’, and our mission is to advocate for programs and policy changes that will improve the health status of our area residents, and reduce or eliminate health inequities for all people. 

The network acknowledges the many First Nation traditional territories that are within the Mount Waddington region, where the Mount Waddington Health Network operates, including; the Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw, 'Namgis, Dzawada’enuxw, Gwa-Wa-Enuk, Whe-la-la-U Area Council, Quatsino, Kwakiutl, Kwicksutaineuk, Da'Naxda'xw Awaetlala, Tsawataineuk , Mamalilikulla Qwe Qwa Sot Em, and Tlatlasikwala First Nations.

Website: www.mwhn.ca

Contact: Angela Smith, coordinator@mwhn.ca, 250-902-9015