​Nurturing Our Roots engagement sessions are back for another year in the Fraser Salish region, connecting Urban and Away from Home (UAH) members with the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) and health system partners.

The Nurturing Our Roots initiative, which began last year, saw strong interest from participants in 2024, with nearly 330 attendees attending across three events. The FNHA's UAH regional coordinator partnered with Kekinow Native Housing Society in Surrey to host an event in September, followed up by connecting with the Mission Friendship Centre Society for an event in October, and lastly with the Surrey Urban Indigenous Leadership Committee and Skookum Surrey at a final gathering in November.

At each event, a local Elder opened with a land acknowledgement while local drummers and singers provided a connection to culture for attendees. Meals were provided by local Indigenous businesses and/or the hosts themselves, with each partnering organization supporting overall.

The events also encouraged a connection to the services provided to UAH members by the FNHA and other health system partners, such as Fraser Health and Pacific Community Resources Society. Information about services such as FNHA's Health Benefits, emergency management, systems support, primary care and harm reduction were made available to participants. Staff from the FNHA were also on hand to capture the voices of First Nations UAH and Indigenous people through the UAH engagement survey. These voices help to create an understanding of how to communicate, engage with and better understand their health and wellness needs.

These events were made possible through the generous giving of time and resources from partnering organizations, volunteers, participating staff and, above all, the individuals who attended.

Attendees expressed appreciation for the opportunity to gather. The premise of the Nurturing Our Roots events is to nurture the spirit, not just the body. Seeing guests laugh, share a meal, share stories, and make connections with each other, and not just services, is a true measure of their success.

Nurturing our Roots Engagement Sessions, and other virtual engagement opportunities, will continue throughout the Fraser Salish region as early as February 2025.

We hope to see you there.

For more information about future virtual and in-person engagement sessions, events, and how you can get involved, please visit the FNHA UAH webpage or contact the FNHA UAH team at UAH@fnha.ca.