Media.Knet.Ca

OSHKI-PIMACHE-O-WIN EDUCATION & TRAINING INSTITUTE

eLearning Coordinator

Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education & Training Institute has been established under the mandate of the Chiefs of Nishnawbe Aski Nation to develop, design and deliver post-secondary and training programs. The Institute is an independent organization and currently offers courses in the areas of social services, information technology, business and administration, teacher education, language and culture.

The Institute is seeking an eLearning Coordinator to advance the development and delivery of technology-mediated post-secondary and training curriculum. Under the direction of the Program & Student Coordinator, this is an exciting opportunity for the successful candidate to provide information technology expertise to the Institute in the area of eLearning.

The eLearning Coordinator will:

• Complete an environmental scan of eLearning technology for application by the Institute and appropriate for the Nishnawbe Aski Nation territory
• Complete a strategic plan to design, develop, implement and evaluate information communication technology infrastructure to meet the post-secondary education and training needs of Nishnawbe Aski Nation community members and other learners, primarily in the area of post-secondary distance education.
• Work with the Program & Student Coordinator, as well as part-time instructors, to identify appropriate training models and methods of delivery, incorporating hardware and software, for sustainable intranet development.
• Promote models of curriculum and classroom organization that make effective use of eLearning; support the implementation of online courses, instructional web projects, and distance learning technologies.
• Help meet the needs of Oshki-Pimache-O-Win staff and instructors by coordinating and offering internal eLearning professional development activities as required.
• Liaise with First Nation communities and organizations across Northern Ontario, as well as professional organizations and regulatory bodies with regards to eLearning capacities.
• Seek financial support to develop a comprehensive eLearning solution package for the Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Institute.

Qualifications required:

• Post-secondary education in a related field.
• Experience in working with IT Services, including web server software, web server hardware, web applications, web authoring applications, web programming applications.
• Knowledge of Aboriginal culture.
• Experience in web-based curriculum design and distance education, preferably in an educational or First Nations organization.
• Understanding of eLearning technology and the process of eLearning curriculum development.

To submit a letter of interest and a resume for this position, please send to the attention of the:

Executive Director
Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education and Training Institute
106 Centennial Square, 3rd Floor,
Thunder Bay, ON
P7E 1H3
Telephone: 807-626-1880
Fax: 807-622-1818

Closing date for applications is Monday, September 18, 2006.

We thank you for your interest in Oshki-Pimache-O-Win, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

From http://www.timminspress.com/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?contentID=159899&catname=Local+News

Docs vacating the North, study reveals

James Wallace  /  Osprey News Network
Saturday, August 19, 2006

A third of all doctors living in Northwestern Ontario expect to leave their practices by 2009, shows an Ontario Medical Association study obtained by Osprey News.

The study not only confirms that doctor retention continues to be a chronic problem in the North but it also found current doctor-retention initiatives for underserviced areas are not working.

Almost nine out of 10 doctors believe there is a "serious physician retention problem in Northwestern Ontario" and 41 per cent believe that "regardless of physician-retention initiatives, more and more physicians will leave Northwestern Ontario to practise elsewhere."

Dr. David Bach, president of the Ontario Medical Association, said although the study focused on doctors in Northwestern Ontario, it likely reflects physician sentiments across the North and in rural, underserviced communities.

"I suspect it is broadly applicable because the issues that are identified here are common issues in semi-rural and northern places," Bach said.

The study found doctors decide to leave for a combination of professional and personal reasons but significantly concludes personal and family issues are the "most significant" factor influencing doctor intentions.

"Most physicians who expect to leave practice in Northwestern Ontario within five years state that they are leaving for personal/family reasons (54 per cent) as opposed to retirement (37 per cent), professional (25 per cent) or community (eight per cent) reasons," the study found.

Younger and female physicians are most likely to leave for personal and family reason and the more "rural" the community is, the higher the risk it will lose a physician.

While 18 per cent of Thunder Bay physicians intend to leave their practice within five years, 44 per cent of regional physicians outside of the city of Thunder Bay plan to move elsewhere.

Meanwhile, doctors who came to the North for "good income" were also more likely to leave within five years.

The study surveyed 200 doctors in Northwestern Ontario, almost two-thirds of all doctors in the region, and 100 spouses.

Specific personal concerns affecting doctor decisions to leave communities included a lack of time for family life, lack of access to relatives and friends and uninterrupted free time away from work, the study found. Other concerns included:

• Ease of travel in and out of community;
• Quality of education for children;
• Availability of cultural events;
• Spouses/partners' contentment in the community;
• Availability of recreation;
• Compatibility with the medical community.

Spousal satisfaction was found to be very influential in family decisions to stay or leave the North.

Professionally, physicians were most strongly dissatisfied with workloads, their relationship with hospitals and health care organizations and access to medical services including hospital and long-term care beds, home care services, social and psychological counseling for patients and technology.

Any of these personal or professional concerns could represent a "tipping point" for doctors who plan to leave their northern practice, and should be addressed in future retention strategies, the study found.

Strategies need to be developed that involve the provincial government, local health care systems and communities with more emphasis on a "personal," highly individualized approach to retaining physicians.

"Physicians are not commodities that can be supplied according to demand; communities must compete for physicians in an environment of physician shortages," the study concluded. "Because physician satisfaction and intention to stay is so individualized, planning and implementing retention strategies is a challenge."

Measures could be taken to address both personal and professional concerns.

The study suggests innovative measures are needed to improve personal and community satisfaction including lobbying airlines to facilitate easier access in and out of town and free family fares for doctors to visit relatives every six months.

Doctors who responded to the survey stated that "the community could be more welcoming and accepting toward physician families as newcomers, and that local medical colleagues and healthcare administrators could be more supportive."

Regarding their professional lives, physicians suggested a number of retention incentives including disability and dental benefits, pension plans, reduced workloads, premiums for doctors who stay in the North, paid sabbaticals, more medical education opportunities, higher income to reflect workloads and increased availability of visiting doctor locums.

"It was not the purpose of this study to recommend models for physician retention, however, the findings do suggest that new models are required," the researchers found.

"Retention strategies that target only professional factors and offer only monetary incentives are not supported by this research." The study was sponsored by the Thunder Bay Medical Society, funded by the Ontario Medical Association and conducted by a team of researchers at Lakehead University School of Social Work led by Professor Mary Lou Kelley.

Bach said the erosion of doctors from the North is also exacerbated by the number of doctors approaching retirement, approximately 20 per cent all the doctors in the province.

"This is a problem in the North but it is also a problem elsewhere," he said. "We could lose a fair number of doctors fairly quickly if things don't change."

"The physician shortage is an issue that's been with us for a while," Bach said. "It's an issue that's worrisome across the province and it's going to be with us for a while.

"So we all have to work on this together," he said.

A new web site and newsletter is now available from the provincial Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Check out the web site at http://www.sbe.gov.on.ca/ontcan/sbe/en/home_en.jsp and the newsletter at http://www.sbe.gov.on.ca/ontcan/sbe/en/news_sbbeat_en.jsp

From the first issue of the Small Business Beat ....

A SNAPSHOT of small business

Opening a small business is a big decision. It requires belief in your product, understanding the market, establishing a business structure, often assuming financial risk and, ultimately, setting out on your own. But are you really alone? Not at all! In taking this step, you also become a member of the vast and highly supportive network that is the small business community of Ontario.

So what defines this community that you’ve joined? What is a typical small business? How do most businesses get started?

Most businesses in Ontario are very small, with close to three-quarters employing fewer than five people. For statistical purposes, the Province of Ontario categorizes a business as “small” if it is a goods-producing firm with fewer than 100 employees or a service firm with fewer than 50 employees.

Companies above that size, with up to 500 employees, are considered medium-sized. The popular term “SME” (small and medium-sized enterprise) combines all of these components of the economy into one sector. Together, SMEs make up 99 per cent of Ontario’s businesses and account for more than 50 per cent of Ontario’s jobs.

Currently, about 340,000 SMEs operate across the province. While each firm is critical to Ontario’s economic growth and job creation, a small number of leading-growth firms make a very large contribution to employment. Between 1997 and 2000, for example, 2.7 per cent of Ontario’s small and medium-sized enterprises created 60 per cent of all new jobs in the province.

Small businesses run the entire gamut of the business spectrum from retail to manufacturing, from the service industry to the IT sector, as entrepreneurs find unique niches in the marketplace. Entrepreneurs also come to small business in different ways. Statistics show that more than 50 per cent of Ontario’s small business owners start their firms from scratch, about 25 per cent start with the purchase of an existing business, 20 per cent start with the takeover of a family business, and another five per cent are spin-offs.

Financing options also vary with most SMEs using a combination of resources. About 75 per cent of SMEs use a line of credit to finance their operations. More than one-third have a term loan. About 25 per cent use mortgages, personal loans and credit. Loans from family or friends remain the financing method of choice for about one in 10 small businesses.

Starting your own business requires a leap of faith. But the many positive attributes—including independence and the ability to balance work and family—are attractive, and many Ontarians appear eager to take the plunge. A recent survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business cites entrepreneurship, at 43 per cent, as the leading choice of Ontarians as the most rewarding career path.

Job Posting
Economic & Business Analyst
Keewaytinook Okimakanak Research Institute
Location:  KO Office, Thunder Bay, Ontario  

Term Position:  1 year

Job Description
The K.O. Research Institute is looking for an enthusiastic individual to fill the position of Economic & Business Analyst. The analyst will: support community-based projects in working with community-based researchers and community leadership.  Gather and synthesize appropriate community information, ICTs and data that support local and regional economic and social initiatives that benefit communities and individuals. Develop relationships with partners and community members to effectively present data in a user-friendly fashion. Contribute to online resources through Moodle, video conferencing and web-based databases to make data available. Manage special projects in the fields of justice, health, education, and ICTs. Assist other KO departments as needed with financial modeling, proposal applications, statistical analysis and tracking indicators. 

Qualifications
1. Graduate of Economics or related social science from an accredited university with strong statistical, data management and modeling background.
2. Experience working with communities in conducting primary research.
3. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
4. Ability to work under minimal supervision.
5. Demonstrated knowledge of Aboriginal Band structure, policies and processes.
6. Ability to speak Oji-Cree, Ojibway or Cree is an asset.
7. Demontrated experience conducting research and presenting data.
8. Experience in training, monitoring and delegating tasks.
9. Valid dirvers licence and willing to travel.

Please submit a resume and covering letter to:
Brian Walmark
Director of Keewatinook Okimakanak Research Institute
216 S. Algoma St.
Thunder Bay, Ontario P7C 3C2
Email: brian.walmark@knet.ca

For information about KO and the Research Institute, visit www.research.knet.ca.

Deadline: August 25, 2006.

Employment Opportunity

Keewaytinook Okimakanak/Northern Chiefs Council is looking for a full time

Education Program Coordinator

The Education Program Coordinator position will focus on working with education programs, First Nations health organizations, Health Canada and community health providers to identify priorities with regards to providing education and support to community health workers in First Nations communities.  Education, support and training will be integrated into the framework of organizations which provide education, training and support to health care providers working in First Nations communities.

Working with the KO Telehealth Team, the Education Program Coordinator identifies a strategy for providing continuing education, support and professional development for the health service providers in the Sioux Lookout Zone of the First Nation and Inuit Health Branch.  The Education Program Coordinator will document this strategy for application to other First Nations health regions, as per Contribution Agreement with Health Canada.

The ideal Candidate will possess:

Registered Nurse professional designation or Health Planning Background
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Ability to work as a team member as well as independently
Computer skills
Knowledge of the Keewaytinook Okimakanak and other Sioux Lookout Zone communities
Ability to prepare and submit reports
Able to speak Oji-Cree an asset

Salary will be dependant on qualifications and work experience.

Deadline for Applications: Friday August 17/06

Please forward: resume, cover letter and three references to:

Telehealth Hiring Committee
Keewaytinook Okimakanak
Box 340
Balmertown, ON
P0V 1C0

REGIONAL TELEHEALTH COORDINATOR

The Regional Telehealth Coordinator works with the dynamic KO Telehealth team to facilitate and direct clinical Telehealth services. Under the supervision of the Program Manager, this Full Time position takes the leaad in coordinating clincal utilitizations of Telehealth. This position is also responsible for supervising and directing First Nation-based Community Telehealth Coordinators to faciliitate Telehealth service deliver. Telemedicine is based on cutting edge technology and is an innovative career choice with many opportunities.

The ideal candidate will possess:

• a degree in Nursing or Registered Nurse
• excellent verbal and written communication skills (experience in health promotions, public speaking, videoconferencing as asset)
• ability to work as  a team member as well as independently
• computer skills (word, outlook, power point)
• suervisory experience an asset
• aware of privacy and health legislation
• research and program development experience an asset
• knowledge of the Keewaytinook Okimakanak First Nations and other First Nation communities
• ability to prepare and submit reports
• able to speak Oji-Cree an asset

KOTH offers excellent remuneration and benefits. Salary will be dependant on qualifications and work experience.

Deadline for applications is August 11, 2006

Please forward resume, cover letter, and three references to:

Telehealth Hiring Committe

Keewaytinook Okimakanak
Box 340
Balmertown, ON  P0V 1C0
Fax: 80-735-1089

TELEHEALTH SECRETARY

The Telehealth Secretary is a full time 4 month term position that supports the KO Telehealth Administration Team to create an efficient and effective workplace environment. The major duties and responsibilities are a guideline and new tasks and duties will be assigned as required.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• make travel arrangements for the Telehealth staff
• create and maintain a health resource library
• organize and prepare for Telehealth department meetings, workshops, and conferences
• attend Telehealth meetings; record, distribute, and archive minutes
• take and record messages for Telehealth personnel
• receive and record all Telehealth department staff and community workers timesheets and submit to payroll
• responsible for the Telehealth department purchase orders
• receiveing, logging, and distrubution of incoming mail/faxes; logging and mailing all outgoing mail
• ordering office supplies for Telehealth office and communities
• responsible for shipping/receiving of supplies to northern communities
• assist with scheduling department as required

Qualifications:

• several years experience in office support
• ability to use computer programs such as WordPerfect, MS Word, Excel
• ability to work in a team environment
• knowledge of Sioux Lookout Health Zone First Nations communities
• knowledge of health care is an asset
• valid driver's license

Salary will be dependant on qualifications and work experience.

Deadline for Applications: July 28, 2006

Forward resume, cover letter, and three references to:

Telehealth Hiring Committee
Keeywaytinook Okimakanak
Box 340
Balmertown, ON  P0V 1C0
Fax: 807-735-1089

From http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/csb/news/2006/jun27nr_06.html

McGUINTY GOVERNMENT HELPING ABORIGINAL YOUTH GAIN JOB SKILLS - Invests $500,000 For Jobs And Training

THUNDER BAY, June 27, 2006 — The McGuinty government is investing more than $500,000 for summer jobs and training for Aboriginal youth, Minister of Natural Resources and Aboriginal Affairs David Ramsay announced today.

"Aboriginal youth represent a large and increasing percentage of the future workforce in northern Ontario," said Ramsay. "These programs introduce aboriginal young people to resource management, provide a forestry-oriented training and work experience and the opportunity to further develop life skills."

The Ministry of Natural Resources, in partnership with Confederation College and the forest industry, coordinates and administers the First Nations Natural Resources Youth Employment Program. Aboriginal youth from First Nations communities in Northern Ontario work on forestry projects like tree planting. They also receive workplace training and take personal development workshops.

Another program, the Aboriginal Youth Work Exchange Program, being piloted this summer provides young Aboriginal people with work placements over three summers with a focus on resource management projects. Two placements are with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the other is with a First Nations community.

The Ministry of Government Services is funding 20 positions in the Aboriginal Youth Work Exchange program - 10 in northeastern Ontario and 10 in northwestern Ontario.

"This program gives young people the skills they need to positively contribute to the economy and sustainability of their communities and regions," said Minister of Government Services Gerry Phillips.

These Aboriginal youth employment programs are among the ways the McGuinty government supports opportunities for young people and for people in northern Ontario. Other initiatives include:

• Creating 75,000 more opportunities in postsecondary education for qualified students
• Creating 1,000 skilled trades training spaces
  Investing $15.4 million to keep good schools open and $6.6 million to repair and improve schools in northern Ontario.

Related Information

ABORIGINAL YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS
Backgrounder - from http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/csb/news/2006/jun27bg_06.html

Aboriginal Youth Work Exchange Pilot Program

• Administered jointly by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Government Services
• $169,000 from Ministry of Government Services for 20 placements annually for three years
• Aboriginal students aged 15 to 24 (up to 29 if disabled)
• Three consecutive work terms of summer employment- two with the Ministry of Natural Resources and one in a First Nations community
• Each work term is eight weeks
• The ministry funds and delivers job skills readiness training for participants
• Aims to provide Aboriginal youth with advanced training, job skills, networks and experience to support potential future careers in natural resources occupations and/or the Ontario Public Service.

First Nations Natural Resources Youth Employment Program (First Nation Ranger program)

• Total of $360,000 from the Ontario government over two years: 2006 and 2007
• Two-summer program
• 30 young people placed in each of 2006 and 2007
  Partnership between Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario Secretariat for Aboriginal Affairs, Confederation College and several forest companies including Bowater
• Goal is to encourage First Nation youth to pro-actively engage in their future career aspirations through a commitment to employment, training and education and to build capacity among First Nations youth for their future participation in forest-related/natural resources occupations.
• Since 2000, 165 youth, representing 26 First Nation communities, have participated in the First Nations Natural Resources Youth Employment Program.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Media Enquiries
Karen Gowanlock
Ministry of Natural Resources
Aboriginal Youth Work Exchange Program
705-755-2041

Brian Kurrika
Confederation College Forestry Centre
First Nations Natural Resources Youth Employment Program
807-475-6643

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Media Enquiries
Barry Radford
Communications Services Branch
416- 314-2103

General Enquiries
 
Natural Resources Information Centre
1-800-667-1940
TTY 1-866-686-6072 (Hearing Impaired)

Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education & Training Institute

Employment Opportunity

Established by Nishnawbe Aski Nation to provide excellence in culturally appropriate post-secondary education and training programs, Oshki offers choice, accessibility, flexibility, opportunities and support services for our students.  To meet the learning needs of people in the communities, the Institute offers a range of courses through distance delivery methods.  

We are looking for a highly, energetic and dynamic individual for the position of Student Support Worker.  The successful candidate will have an exciting opportunity to help the students increase their educational growth and successes.  Under the direction of the Program & Student Services Coordinator, the successful candidate will provide support services to the students enrolled in the Aboriginal Community Services Worker Program and other programs.

Required Qualifications:
• A diploma or degree in a related field.
• A minimum of three years of experience in related experience.
• Understand needs and challenges faced by First Nation students in remote locations
• Possess strong communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and be an effective team member.
• Hold a valid driver’s license. 
• Demonstrate an understanding of First Nations culture and issues

Responsibilities include (a complete job description is available on request):
• Assist potential applicants in the registration process for the programs of interest.
• Provide support to the students registered in the Aboriginal Community Services Worker Program when they are on-campus and during their independent learning.
• Provide logistical support when students are scheduled for the on-campus sessions including arrangements for travel and accommodations.
• Be a liaison for the programs with the community educators and counselors in Nishnawbe Aski Nation and related organizations.
• Maintain appropriate and updated student records.

Interested candidates are invited to submit a letter of interest and resume to:
Executive Director
Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education & Training Institute
106 Centennial Square, 3rd Floor
Thunder Bay, ON  P7E 1H3
Fax:  (807) 622-1818

Closing date: Friday, June 16, 2006 at 12:00 p.m.

While we appreciate all applications for this position, only those who are selected for an interview will be contacted.

Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education & Training Institute

Student Support Worker

Established by Nishnawbe Aski Nation to provide excellence in culturally appropriate post-secondary education and training programs, Oshki offers choice, accessibility, flexibility, opportunities and support services for our students.  To meet the learning needs of people in the communities, the Institute offers a range of courses through distance delivery methods.  

We are looking for a highly, energetic and dynamic individual for the position of Student Support Worker.  The successful candidate will have an exciting opportunity to help the students increase their educational growth and successes.  Under the direction of the Program & Student Services Coordinator, the successful candidate will provide support services to the students enrolled in the Aboriginal Community Services Worker Program and other programs.

Required Qualifications:
• A diploma or degree in a related field.
• A minimum of three years of experience in related experience.
• Understand needs and challenges faced by First Nation students in remote locations
• Possess strong communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and be an effective team member.
• Hold a valid driver’s license. 
• Demonstrate an understanding of First Nations culture and issues

Responsibilities include (a complete job description is available on request):
• Assist potential applicants in the registration process for the programs of interest.
• Provide support to the students registered in the Aboriginal Community Services Worker Program when they are on-campus and during their independent learning.
• Provide logistical support when students are scheduled for the on-campus sessions including arrangements for travel and accommodations.
• Be a liaison for the programs with the community educators and counselors in Nishnawbe Aski Nation and related organizations.
• Maintain appropriate and updated student records.

Interested candidates are invited to submit a letter of interest and resume to:
Executive Director
Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education & Training Institute
106 Centennial Square, 3rd Floor
Thunder Bay, ON  P7E 1H3
Fax:  (807) 622-1818

Closing date: Friday, June 16, 2006 at 12:00 p.m.

While we appreciate all applications for this position, only those who are selected for an interview will be contacted.