indigenous communities

community-based research navigates social, economic and environmental sustainability

thunder bay and orillia, ont. – 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 researchers dr. martha dowsley and dr. debra mackinnon are leading two community-based studies that will impact how societies understand and navigate food sovereignty and public safety.

dr. dowsley, associate professor in anthropology and geography and the environment, is partnering with lac seul first nation (lsfn) in northwestern ontario and nubian communities in egypt to explore the role of focal plants in the community’s survival, culture, and self-determination and how that role has been altered by the flooding of traditional lands. the study is supported by a $328,000 grant from the social sciences and humanities research council (sshrc).

martha dowsley “many indigenous communities have lost lands and resources to hydroelectric development, severely impacting their economic and cultural wellbeing,” dowsley explained. “by studying some of these injured human-plant relationships we hope to support communities in strengthening their plant relationships. this can have important impacts in areas such as the sustainable development goals, improving the lives of girls and women, and building resilience into damaged local food systems.”

for the study, each community selected a plant with economic and cultural significance: lsfn chose wild rice (manomin) and the nubian communities date palm and a fodder plant called kashrangig. now, the research team will explore the history of lost relationships with these plants to understand how to support indigenous communities as they look to re-establish traditional practices. illustrated books, films and educational resources will be created to help cultural sharing and discussions on food sovereignty and cultural resurgence.

“i hope this research will allow the two case study communities to learn about themselves through seeing how a community on the other side of the world is struggling with a similar problem,” she said. “my hope is that this project will support the communities to find new ways to use their cultural knowledge of plants to continue those plant relationships in a changed environment. it’s all about honouring and nurturing these ancient relationships and finding a place for them in a modern world.”

debra mackinnon in another community-focused project, dr. mackinnon, an assistant professor in interdisciplinary studies, will examine how libraries in mid-sized ontario cities balance safety with their mandate of free and equitable access.

“public libraries are more than just places for books; they serve as critical social infrastructure by providing access to information, encouraging social inclusion and equity, and fostering civic engagement,” mackinnon explained. “however, they face growing pressure to navigate their commitment to social inclusion and equity, while managing the added pressure of ensuring the safety of all staff and patrons.”

in collaboration with public libraries in barrie, brantford and thunder bay, and in the context of ongoing social issues such as the opioid epidemic, mental health crisis, lack of affordable housing, and changing perceptions of public safety, mackinnon and dr. tarah hodgkinson of wilfrid laurier university will engage library staff, patrons, and community members to identify practical, community-driven solutions that support both safety and inclusivity in these spaces. the three-year study is supported by a $97,267 grant from sshrc.

“the work conducted by lakehead researchers is responsive and directly tied to supporting, engaging and enriching our local communities,” said dr. andrew p. dean, vice president - research and innovation. “thank you to our funding partners for recognizing the importance of these projects, not just at the community level, but advancing knowledge nationally and globally in several key areas.”

in 2023/24, 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 received almost $2.5 million in assistance from the research support fund to support the indirect costs of research, which includes costs for supporting the management of intellectual property, research and administration, ethics and regulatory compliance, research resources, research facilities, and research security.

sshrc grants 2023-24

total received: $975,920

insight grants (2-5 year grant)

dr. martha dowsley, department of anthropology and department of geography and the environment, “feeding our relationships: investigating anishinaabe and nubian plant relationships in the context of food sovereignty, biocultural landscapes and sustainable development”, $328,000

co-applicant: dr. charles levkoe, department of health sciences, 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜

dr. lindsay galway, department of health sciences, “climate anxiety and coping among youth and young adults in canada: synthesizing and advancing knowledge and practice”, $308,916

co-applicant: dr. ellen field, faculty of education, 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜
collaborator: kate ashwood, youth climate lab
collaborator: alexis ashworth, root in nature, inc.
collaborator: dr. thomas beery, school of natural history, kristianstad university
collaborator: katie hayes
collaborator: stacie smith, young canadians roundtable on health

dr. debra mackinnon, department of interdisciplinary studies, securitizing the last public bastion: safety in public libraries in mid-sized ontario municipalities, $97,267

co-applicant: dr. tarah hodgkinson, department of criminology, wilfrid laurier university
collaborator: barrie public library
collaborator: brantford public library
collaborator: thunder bay public library
collaborator: federation of ontario public libraries

insight development grant (2-year grant)

dr. bartholomew chireh, department of health sciences and epid@work research institute, “work stressors and job satisfaction and mental well-being among black, indigenous, and people of color skilled trades workers in northwestern ontario”, $63,723

co-applicant: dr. samuel essien, department of health sciences and epid@work research institute, 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜
co-applicant: dr. charles gyan, school of social work, mcgill university
collaborator: dr. annshirley afful, registrar’s office, university of regina

knowledge synthesis grants: evolving narratives of cultures and histories (1-year grant)

dr. martha dowsley, department of geography and the environment, “from manomin to ‘wild’ rice and back again: understanding the transformations of a native ontario grain and indigenous cultural resurgence”, $30,000

co-applicant: dr. keira loukes, school of outdoor recreation, parks and tourism, 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜

individual partnership engage grant (1-year grant)

dr. mirit kastelman grabarski, faculty of business administration, “coach officer training development”, $25,000.

co-applicant: hina kalyal, london police service

connection grants (1-year grant)

dr. leisa desmoulins, faculty of education (orillia) “multiple perspectives for indigenous education activation in simcoe county”, $49,494.

co-applicant: dr. ruth beatty, faculty of education (orillia)
collaborator: christina ruddy

dr. idevania costa, school of nursing, “our voices, our stories: an action-oriented outreach and knowledge exchange webinar series”, $48,520.

co-applicant: dr. catherine phillips, school of social work (orillia)
co-applicant: dr. catherine schoales, school of nursing
co-applicant: dr. michelle-marie spadoni, school of nursing
co-applicant: dr. pilar camargo plazas, queen’s university
collaborator: irmajean bajnok, wounds canada
collaborator: mariam botros, wounds canada

individual pch-sshrc initiative for digital citizen research (connection) (1-year grant)

dr. davut akca, department of interdisciplinary studies (orillia), combatting hate speech in an increasingly polarized era conference, $25,000.

keywords:

sshrc

indigenous communities

food sovereignty

public safety

strengthening capacity to support indigenous youth mental health services

july 18, 2024 – thunder bay, ont.

a national initiative, the access open minds indigenous youth mental health and wellness network, to enhance indigenous youth mental health services, co-led by researchers from 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 and mcgill university, has received $1.45 million from the canadian institutes of health research (cihr).

chris mushquash lakehead’s dr. christopher mushquash, canada research chair in indigenous mental health and addiction, professor in the department of psychology, vice president research at the thunder bay regional health sciences centre and chief scientist, thunder bay regional health research institute, and mcgill’s dr. srividya iyer, tier 1 canada research chair in youth, mental health, and learning health systems and professor in the department of psychiatry, are leading the five-year project. this initiative will strengthen capacity amongst indigenous communities and integrated youth services (iys) to provide culturally affirming, high quality and responsive mental health services for indigenous youth.

srividya iyer it brings together youth, elders, family members, researchers, communities and leading indigenous organizations, including the thunderbird partnership foundation under the leadership of dr. carol hopkins and the first peoples wellness circle under the leadership of dr. brenda restoule. dilico anishinabek family care is also a partner on the project.

"by centering indigenous knowledge and practices, we aim to create a sustainable and culturally relevant mental health support system for indigenous youth. this project is a testament to the power of collaboration and the wisdom of indigenous communities, and youth, in addressing mental health challenges," mushquash says.

indigenous youth in canada have experienced significant population growth, accompanied by growing concerns about their mental health and wellbeing. adverse childhood experiences, influenced by historical and systemic factors such as intergenerational trauma, cultural disconnection, poverty and socioeconomic disadvantage, disproportionately affect indigenous youth. limited access to health services, culturally inappropriate care and geographical barriers further exacerbate these challenges.

“we have an opportunity to listen to indigenous youth and work with them to address mental health inequities by advancing practices that centre indigenous knowledge, values and traditions in mental health and wellness services,” iyer emphasizes.

over the next five years, the interdisciplinary research team will focus on relationship building and the development of service practices, tools, interventions and training programs to shape a learning health system that will inform mental health and wellness service delivery for indigenous youth across canada. it will also help build capacity for future leaders in indigenous communities.

“by enabling primary care providers, communities, families and youth with the tools and knowledge on how to navigate the health system, we will strengthen the capacity within indigenous communities to ensure that youth-focused mental health resources are available to them,” mushquash explains.

the government of canada recently invested $59 million in the integrated youth services network of networks (iys-net) to strengthen and expand iys across canada. an innovative approach to youth-focused mental health, iys provides youth with equitable access to a range of services and supports that contribute to health. this includes mental health and substance use services, alongside primary care, peer support, work and study supports, and more. associate professor dr. aislin mushquash, adjunct professor dr. elaine toombs, and postdoctoral fellow dr. carolyn melro from 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 are also members of this network.

mushquash concludes, “through the larger iys-net initiative, we have the opportunity to address mental health inequities, not just in indigenous communities, but for youth across canada.”

keywords:

indigenous

youth mental health

mental health

indigenous communities