BC's Indigenous Public Post-Secondary Institute

Aboriginal Community & Health Development Diploma

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Current Course Offerings

Department: Career Training (Human Services)
Program Delivery Location: Community Based
Credential: Diploma
Format: Full-Time, Part-Time

Aboriginal Community & Health Development Diploma

The Aboriginal Community Development (ACD) diploma is awarded to recognize the successful completion of the equivalent of 2 years of full-time study. In addition to the successful completion of the ACD certificate, students are required to take the courses as prescribed below with a total of 60 credits. An overall minimum GPA of 2.33 is required. For more information, please contact Chelsea Vaughan at cvaughan@nvit.bc.ca or toll free at 1-877-682-3300.

Aboriginal Community and Health Diploma

ACHD-223 - Current Issues in Health

ACHD-224 - Addictions and Recovery

ACHD-225 - Health Promotion Gerontology

ACHD-226 - Aboriginal Research

ACHD-227 - Contemporary Health & Medical Practices

ACHD-228 - Case Management: Roles & Responsibilities of Community Health

ACHD-229 - Advanced Aboriginal Family Systems

ACHD-230 - Mental Health Wellness and Challenges

ACHD-231 - Health Administration and Program Development

ACHD-232 - Practicum

Course Listing for this program

ACHD-223 - Credits: 3.000
Current Issues in Health
In this course students will explore traditional and non-traditional trends of today's health care for Aboriginal people. The course provides the view that Aboriginal people's health is the product of a complex web of psychological, spiritual, historical, sociological, cultural, economic, and environmental factors. Students will analyze the health care system and its impact on Aboriginal family health and well-being. This course introduces students to integration of traditional and non- traditional approach to the delivery of health care in Aboriginal communities. Focus will be placed on health transfer as it relates to Aboriginal communities. This course will address the legacy of physical and sexual abuse in Residential Schools, including the intergenerational impacts by providing students with the opportunity to explore the impacts of colonization and Residential Schools, including the many forms of abuse, on their own family systems. More Details on this course
Prerequisites: ACHD 123 / or ACHD 126

ACHD-224 - Credits: 3.000
Addictions and Recovery
This course will examine the various forms of addictions including substance, solvents, and process addictions. Students will have the opportunity to examine addictions from a structural perspective and how colonialism, and residential schools have contributed to the social challenges of Aboriginal communities. Processes of recovery will be explored, including western models and traditional models. This course will address the legacy of physical and sexual abuse in residential schools, including intergenerational impacts by providing students with the opportunity to understand how residential schools have contributed to high levels of addictions in our communities, and how recovery can be effective by utilizing a blend of contemporary and traditional models. More Details on this course
Prerequisites: ACHD 126

ACHD-225 - Credits: 3.000
Health Promotion Gerontology
This course is an introduction to the study of Aboriginal community and health development. Students will examine the process of colonialism and systemic factors that influence Aboriginal health and well-being. The interaction between the individual, family and community as it influences health and development of Aboriginal communities will be studied within a holistic framework. Students will learn positive ways of analyzing historical experiences through the use of the wellness wheel and geneograms. Students will study cultural and traditional ethics and practice for healthy communication. This course will address the legacy of physical and sexual abuse in residential schools, including the intergenerational impacts by providing students with the opportunity to explore the impacts of colonization and residential schools, including the many forms of abuse, on their own family systems. More Details on this course
Prerequisites: ACHD 122

ACHD-226 - Credits: 3.000
Aboriginal Research
This course will introduce various research methods with an emphasis on how to conduct culturally sensitive research as health care professionals. Students will examine mainstream research methods as well as indigenous research methods with an emphasis on researching Aboriginal communities. Students will gain critical thinking skills and conduct research in an Aboriginal community as a participatory assignment. Students will explore the concept of 'Aboriginal ways of knowing' and how research can be empowering and useful to Aboriginal communities and organizations when it is approached with cultural-sensitivity and sound ethics. This course will address the legacy of physical and sexual abuse in residential schools, including intergenerational impacts by providing students with the opportunity to know how to conduct culturally sensitive research in communities, particularly around the topic of residential school and the legacies around residential school. More Details on this course
Prerequisites: ENGL 110

ACHD-227 - Credits: 3.000
Contemporary Health & Medical Practices
The purpose of this course is to provide students with information to enhance their knowledge and skills about contemporary health practices including the medical system. Students will learn medical terminology including the DSM-V and medical approaches used by physicians, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists and other medical professionals. Students will gain an understanding of the key health problems plaguing Aboriginal communities and treatments from medical perspectives and explore how traditional, holistic practices can be blended with contemporary approaches. This course will address the legacy of physical and sexual abuse in residential schools, including intergenerational impacts by providing students with the opportunity to incorporate contemporary health practices with residential school survivors and family members and to ensure that the workers are sensitive to the legacy of physical and sexual abuse resulting from residential schools. More Details on this course
Prerequisites: PSYC 111

ACHD-228 - Credits: 3.000
Case Management: Roles & Responsibilities of Community Health
This course will focus on casework practice and management for health care workers. This course will address the legacy of physical and sexual abuse in residential schools, including intergenerational impacts. It will also provide students with an understanding of the specific roles and responsibilities of community health workers, particularly those working in Aboriginal communities. Students will learn how to apply theory into practice; they will also look at casework examples and conduct an assignment with a community health worker. Students will learn about the administrative responsibilities of community health workers including developing competencies in office management, scheduling, recording and reporting, clinical and ethical decision-making as well as communicating with colleagues and supervisors. Students will learn the importance of self-care and implementing a personal wellness plan, to prepare them for their own professional careers. More Details on this course
Prerequisites: ACHD 125 / or ADCT 104

ACHD-229 - Credits: 3.000
Advanced Aboriginal Family Systems
In this course students will learn advanced counseling techniques from western and traditional philosophies to incorporate into practice with individuals and families. Students will learn how to conduct family assessments including the development of specific tools such as family genograms. Students will continue to learn specific approaches of counseling and examine the impact of cultural practices and beliefs on healing and therapeutic practices, particularly when working in Aboriginal communities. Students will also undertake a personal study and a reflection of one's own value system and biases. This course will address the legacy of physical and sexual abuse in residential schools, including the intergenerational impact by providing students with the opportunity to continue to develop their counseling skills with an emphasis on providing counseling for residential school survivors and intergenerational members. More Details on this course
Prerequisites: ACHD 129

ACHD-230 - Credits: 3.000
Mental Health Wellness and Challenges
Students will have the opportunity to apply concepts and principles of long-term care for individuals and families with chronic, complex mental health problems and/or developmental needs. They will also explore the difference between long-term care and short-term care treatment approaches. Areas of focus will include contemporary approaches (rehabilitative, habilitative and palliative care). Case studies will include but not be limited to organic illness, genetic mental disability, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychotic and neurotic conditions, personality disorders, impact of trauma and multi-generational trauma. This course will address the legacy of physical and sexual abuse in residential schools, including the intergenerational impacts by providing students with the opportunity to learn specifically about trauma and multi-generational impact of residential schools. More Details on this course
Prerequisites: ACHD 224

ACHD-231 - Credits: 3.000
Health Administration and Program Development
This course will introduce students to all aspects of health administration. They will explore what is involved in administering a health program, particularly in Aboriginal communities, including funding, budgetary and reporting requirements, staffing, case work, policy development and guidelines, ethics, and codes of conduct. Students will become familiar with program development and the differences between how programs are developed in Aboriginal communities and non-Aboriginal communities. This course will review contemporary program development in Aboriginal communities with an emphasis on health care programs, health transfer and holistic perspectives to program development and administration. Students will have the opportunity to explore culturally sensitive programs that can be designed for survivors of residential school and their families in communities and how programs can network and enhance the support to families. More Details on this course
Prerequisites: ACHD 125

ACHD-232 - Credits: 3.000
Practicum
An Aboriginal Community & Health Development Diploma Practicum is required to complete the program. Nicola Valley Institute of Technology utilizes an extensive number of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal service agencies and Bands for practicum. The development of an appropriate practicum placement is a collaborative effort between NVIT, the student, and the agency that will maximize the students' learning potential. Practicum I is intended to build upon practice and work experience to provide opportunities to strengthen skills, knowledge, and understanding of current values and attitudes. The practicum, more than a work experience, is a continuation of the educational learning process. The students will be exposed to specific learning objectives, structured supervision, and the opportunity to apply theory to practice. More Details on this course
Prerequisites: Must complete 45 credits to be eligible for practicum placement.

Current Course Offerings

01 = Merritt Campus
V1 = Burnaby Campus

For information on transferability, please see the BC Council on Admissions and Transferability

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Aboriginal Community & Health Development Diploma