​Ask any two Health Directors what their jobs entail and you'll likely hear two different answers. But while their day-to-days may differ, all Health Directors play the same critical role for the Nations they serve, overseeing health services and advocating for the needs of their communities.

“My dream has always been to have a healthy community and to contribute in some way," explains Tiffany Mason, Health Director for her community, Kitasoo Xai'Xais Nation, located in Klemtu, BC, on the Central Coast.

Tiffany recently graduated from the Health Director Certificate Program (HDCP) at the Centre for Indigenous Health Leadership (CIHL), a designated post-secondary institution with the Ministry of Advanced Education. Designed by Health Directors, for Health Directors, the program focuses on practical skills and accessibility. CIHL offers full tuition grants with the aim of making the lives of Health Directors easier.

As CIHL director James Rout explains, “We've worked over the last several years to configure the program so that it really supports the work of Health Directors rather than being an extra workload because their jobs are very challenging."

That intent is reflected in the program's approach to assessment. Instead of relying on Western or colonial assessment strategies such as exams and quizzes, assessments are generally functional and project based. Students might, for example, create a budget for their health centre or write a grant proposal they can use in their everyday work.

CIHL's cohort model also helps reduce isolation in a demanding role. Students enter the program in 25-person cohorts, an approach that helps build a community support structure, where Health Directors can turn to one another for guidance.

“There's this incredible community that comes out of that," says James. “Being able to pick up the phone and call a colleague because you know them quite well, having gone through the program together is really invaluable."

The certificate program is comprised of eight courses and is typically completed over two years, with joint support from the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), First Nations Health Directors Association (FNHDA) and First Nations Health Council. Courses are offered online, with periodic learner gatherings for Health Directors from across BC to connect in person.

So far, CIHL has seen 24 Health Directors complete the program, with nine more expected to graduate this year. Together, they represent nearly 20 per cent of the FNHDA membership and all five health regions.

While the impacts of the program have already been significant, CIHL is looking to the horizon. The centre is continually adapting and amending its programming to better meet the needs of First Nations communities. And while HDCP is its only program for now, CIHL plans to expand its course offerings and open its doors to a broader student audience in the coming months and years. Soon CIHL will offer clinical micro-credentials intended to address urgent clinical-skills gaps in communities, as well as an Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Informatics program.

For Tiffany, the program's value was practical and immediate. She says CIHL gave her confidence and knowledge to better navigate FNHA's programs and services, and to better advocate for the needs of her community.

“It helped me be impactful in my advocacy," she says. “It was so relevant to the job itself."

To learn more about CIHL, visit their website at cihl.ca/programs/certificate-program.