SOOKE REGION
COMMUNITY HEALTH INITIATIVE (CHI)
The Initiative
The Sooke Region Community Health Initiative (CHI) is a partnership of residents, service providers, and local governments living and working in an area that extends from Beecher Bay to Port Renfrew. Since 2003, CHI has assumed a leadership role in the design and delivery of health, social and recreational programs that are of direct benefit to the over 16,000 residents who callSooke Region “home”. CHI has also contributed to the knowledge base that is available for planning purposes. Specifically, CHI has built a rich inventory of local health and social services that is now available to the public through Sooke Region Resource Inventory. It has documented health needs; added to our understanding of how children, youth and seniors are coping at home and in the community; and responded to local concerns
CHI ACCOMPLISHMENTS
CHI has contributed to or initiated a number of new projects like the Sooke Navigator Project, Food CHI, the Regional Transportation Review, the Integrated Health Network, the Sooke Region Resource Inventory and the Sooke Region Volunteer Centre. A complete listing of CHI’s projects is available at
OUR PARTNERS
CHI strongly promotes community engagement and relies on local people to bring their ideas to the table. CHI collaborates with organizations like Island Health, the University of British Columbia and the South Island Division of Family Practice, and with funding organizations such as the Children's Health Foundation of Vancouver Islandto inform and support the work that it does. In addition, CHI has an excellent working relationship with regional and municipal governments. The District of Sooke recently recognized CHI’s accomplishments by awarding CHI a four year service contract to address a range of health determinants.
Active CHI members are affiliated with the Pacific Centre Family Services Association, District of Sooke, West Coast Family Medical Clinic, SookeFamily Resource Society, Sooke & Electoral Area Parks & Recreation Commission, and the Island Health Authority. These members represent the communities of T’Sou-ke Nation, East Sooke, Sooke, Otter Point, and Jordan River.
BUSINESS APPROACH
CHI marked its 10th anniversary by amalgamating with Sooke Cooperative Association of Service Agencies (CASA). This important move will allow CHI to do business as CASA, improving its ability to achieve sustainability in structure and membership. CHI now operates as a cooperative non-profit society, which allows it to manage its own grant funding and to act as an umbrella organization for other voluntary groups. CHI has open membership to individuals and organizations as it did before, but has added a Board of Directors of up to 11 members who assume a leadership and governance role for a pre-determined period. A new voting member category has also been added, allowing interested residents and organizations to take part in the Board’s decisions. The Board has its own Standing Committees, one of which is the Membership and Nominations Committee that is seeking to help CHI grow. CHI also has several working Committees that bring together interested community residents and other experts to concentrate on new initiatives. Current CHI Committees are the Sooke Region Volunteer Centre Committee, the Primary Health Care Services Committee and the Integrated Health Network Committee. These Committees have their own meeting schedules.
CHI holds open meetings on a regular basis that bring together people with an interest in Committee initiatives and new ideas about how CHI can better achieve its goals. The Board also holds regular meetings every month or second month. An Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Board is held once a year and is open to everyone. Voting members attend the AGM meeting to vote on key issues including Board membership.
BECOMING INVOLVED WITH CHI
Joining the Board, becoming a voting member, or getting involved on a Committee are ways you can get involved with CHI. You can also simply come to one of the open meetings. To get information on these options, please contact:
Chair of CHI, Mitzi Dean, at
or call a CHI committee member at the Sooke Region Volunteer Centre at 250-708-7520.
You can also have a look at the Sooke Region Resource Inventory at to learn about CHI meetings as well as services, events and activities in the Region.
June 6, 2014