Rachel Fiddler
Facilitator, Representative Workforce
I was inspired to work in health care, and here is why . . .
I give credit to my parents, Theresa Heese and Sid Fiddler, for bringing out the best in me. My dad, a former chief of Waterhen Lake First Nation and a current professor of Social Work at FNUC, and my mom, an ER Physician practicing in Nova Scotia, are both very down to earth people who never struck me as super-human. What I learned from them is that persistence, believing in what you do, and believing in why you're doing it is what will take me far in life. I am also eternally grateful for the Cree traditions that my father has exposed me to which have kept me focused on my health and well-being.
I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Saskatchewan in October of 2006. I majored in Aboriginal Justice and Criminology, department of Sociology. During my studies, I researched and wrote on holistic approaches to justice. I did not anticipate myself working in health human resource, but am grateful for the opportunity to transfer my knowledge and experience into holistic practices in health human resource.
I began working at the SHR 14 months ago when I was employed part-time in Food and Nutrition. I was grateful for this job as I had a newborn baby and a toddler whom I would only have to leave for 4 hours in the evening. My spouse and I would rotate shifts; he worked during the day and would come home at 4:00. I would give him a "high five" as I walked out the door to be at work for 4:30. Eventually, this caught up with us and we were ready for a change, and that is what brought me to apply for the Aboriginal Peer Network Facilitator position in the Representative Workforce department.
As Facilitator of the Aboriginal Peer Network, my job is to build a sense of community and employee cohesion within SHR. It is an employee Network that is designed to support and promote the retention of Aboriginal employees through activities that foster a sense of community within the SHR; and to provide opportunities or information on relevant topics that aim to enhance workplace engagement/professional development. Participation in this Network is open to all SHR employees. Since June 2008, I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with many employees throughout SHR. I sincerely look forward to connecting with more employees and having the chance to enhance the work lives of many people. I look forward to further developing the Aboriginal Peer Network and seeing what the future entails.
I looked at the positive opportunities that come with working in health care. It is really an opportunity to bridge the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people and to be an advocate for transformative change. It is an opportunity to take that extra few minutes to reach out and connect with our patients and clients to make a difference in their day. I see working in the human resource aspect of health care as being part of the solution to the bigger picture. The SHR is going through so much change and it is exciting to be a part of it all!
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