WELLNESS ARTIST Qwalayu House | Kids First

WELLNESS ARTIST ' QWALAYU HOUSE

KEALY DONALDSON

“A home away from home is what we're aiming for”

shares Veronica Carroll, CEO of Children’s Health Network Vancouver Island (CHNVI). “We knew from a decade of engagement that there was a serious need for a facility and we were committed to wellness on the North Island.” As Jeneece’s Place in Victoria nears its 10th Anniversary, serving over 2,500 families, the demand and need in the North Island for another facility became obvious. Qwalayu House opened its doors in the summer of 2021.

CHNVI hosted months of stakeholder engagement sessions in First Nation communities and municipalities alike. Information collected from families’ experiences with Jeneece’s Place and Ronald McDonald House also helped shape the look and feel of Qwalayu. “It is completely developed for the user,” notes Carroll. “We connected with so many organizations, such as FNHA, KDC, Island Health, to ensure that our Architect and Interior Designers understood the full capacity of the project and would meet the needs of our clients.”

Engagement sessions also showed that the North Island would see more adults for the Qwalayu House client base. One desperately needed and noted resource was support for mothers-to-be. It has a unique design that includes three full kitchens so adult clients can take care of their own needs and health. The

All photos © Qwalayu House From top: Main living space; kids' play area; kids' bedroom

interior design plays a big role in the final product, featuring wood, stone, brick—keeping it natural—and a big fireplace to bring warmth to it all.

Indigenous organizations brought forward the importance of cultural safety and the name Qwalayu came from an engagement session in Port Hardy. “This part of the development journey really helped solidify the openness and inclusiveness for everyone," says Carroll. "It’s been a long time coming.” The Architect, Alan Lowe, was very specific in his design and had the experience of delivering Jeneece’s Place as well. Overall, CHNVI promised to deliver the best facility and they have done just that.

Veronica Carroll has been the CEO for CHNVI for five years, and knew coming on board that this project was a big priority. “It has been a decade in the making. It’s so important to protect women who are pregnant so they can have the best outcome possible; this facility is very family focused," she explains. "We expect that our occupancy will be lower to begin with, similar to Jeneece’s Place in its infancy. It will build and slowly increase over time and we expect to continue learning and acknowledging the continued needs of our clients."

There is artwork arriving from local First Nation Artists, in particular youth, from almost every nation on Vancouver Island. Tom Hunt Jr. has donated his time to complete a Welcome Pole for the entrance of the facility and it’s expected that will be in place by fall 2022. It is a very welcoming space, to say the least, and it will definitely be sought after by Central and North Island clients.

For more information on Qwalayu House and how you can support or book this facility, connect directly with Children’s Health Network Vancouver Island at www.islandkidsfirst.com

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Audrey Wilson, of the We Wai Kai Nation, blesses the home with eagle down