Community-based Rehabilitation Workers: Canadian Examples of Building Capacity in Indigenous Communities

Overview

This pan-national panel will share their insights into community-based rehabilitation and experiences of local engagement and education initiatives in rural and remote Indigenous communities aimed at increasing access to rehabilitation services. This course will inspire physiotherapists to consider how they can contribute to delivering more culturally safe and accessible rehabilitation services. 

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

• Define community-based rehabilitation and its role in supporting remote and Indigenous communities.

• Identify practical examples of local engagement, education and capacity-building initiatives implemented across Canada.

• Recognize opportunities to enhance access to rehabilitation through culturally safe and collaborative approaches.

• Reflect on strategies for contributing to practice change in their own clinical or community settings.

Audience

This course is ideal for:

• Physiotherapists and rehabilitation professionals seeking to broaden their understanding of community-based care models.

• Clinicians working with rural, remote, and Indigenous populations.

• Educators and program developers interested in capacity-building and culturally safe practice.

• Allied health professionals pursuing continuing education credits or professional development.

Why This Course Matters

Equitable access to rehabilitation remains a pressing challenge in many rural and Indigenous communities in Canada. Community-based approaches — where local engagement, culturally respectful communication, and partnerships are prioritized — can significantly improve health outcomes and service accessibility. This course highlights strategies and real examples that resonate with the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action around culturally safe care and community empowerment.

• Addresses geographic and systemic barriers to rehabilitation access.

• Supports culturally safe, person-centred care by showcasing lived experiences and locally driven initiatives.

• Inspires clinicians to integrate capacity-building principles into their own practice settings.

About the Presenters

This expert panel brings a breadth of experience from clinical practice, education, program development, and leadership in rehabilitation:

• Robin Roots, PT, PhD (Senior Instructor) – Coordinates clinical education for rural practice at the University of British Columbia; focused on increasing access in northern and remote communities.

• Tracy Dignum, PT, MEd, MSc – Rehabilitation clinician and educator with extensive experience in rural rehabilitation assistant training.

• Denise Taylor, PT – Manager of regional rehabilitative care programs in Thunder Bay with a strong advocacy focus on equity and access.

• Leah Dolgoy, OT – Allied health leader with expertise in community program development with the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay.