UNDERSTANDING THE STRENGTHS OF INDIGENOUS

COMMUNITIES (USIC):

SPILLOVER EFFECTS

OF RESEARCH

USIC GOAL

TO IDENTIFY AND DESCRIBE

SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT IN FIRST

NATIONS THAT MAY SERVE AS

MODELS FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES

BACKGROUND

NATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECTSUPPORTED BY YORK AND TRENT

UNIVERSITIES AND A PROJECT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE OF 20 PEOPLE

RESEARCH USES SEVERAL DATA COLLECTION METHODS – FOCUS GROUPS, SURVEYS, CASE STUDIES

RESEARCH NOW HAS A NUMBER OF CASE STUDIES COMPLETE OR NEARING COMPLETION

BACKGROUND CON’T

40 PEOPLE FROM ACROSS CANADA NOMINATED FIRST NATIONS WHICH THEY BELIEVED WERE RELATIVELY STRONG COMMUNITIES

6 PARTICIPATING FIRST NATIONS – WAGMATCOOK, BATCHEWANA, FLYING DUST, MIKISEW, SAANICH, TESLIN

BACKGROUND CON’T

EACH COMMUNITY HAS A LOCAL COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE

RESEARCHERS HAVE BEEN DRAWN FROM THE PARTICIPATING COMMUNITIES, AND SUPPORTED BY LOCAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS

FOCUS ON STRENGTHS – HOW THEY HAVE DEVELOPED AND BEEN MAINTAINED OVER TIME

RESPECTS LOCAL KNOWLEDGEPARTICIPATORY AND INCLUSIONARY

PROCESS BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS/NETWORKS

WITH ACADEMICS, FUNDERS AND FIRST NATIONS

CHARACTERISTICS CREATE SPILLOVER EFFECTS

STRENGTHENS COMMUNITIES

BUILDS SOCIAL CAPITAL

BUILDS COMMUNITY CAPACITY

DEVELOPS BETTER RESEARCH PROCESSES

PANEL MEMBERS

• VICKIE PRICE, WAGMATCOOK

• JIM NORMAN, FLYING DUST

• STAN WIGMORE, MIKISEW CREE

• HEATHER SCHMIDT, YORK UNIVERSITY

• GAYLE BROAD, ALGOMA UNIVERSITY (BATCHEWANA FIRST NATION)

WAGMATCOOK

STRENGTHENING THE COMMUNITY

STRENGTHS

RESPECT FOR LOCAL PERSPECTIVES (LOCAL KNOWLEDGE) CREATES COMMUNITY PRIDE

FOCUS ON STRENGTHS CREATES POSITIVE ATTITUDES

STRENGTHS IDENTIFIED IN FOCUS GROUPS

LANGUAGE AND EDUCATIONJOBS AND EMPLOYMENTCULTURE AND TRADITIONCOMMUNITY WELLNESS AWARENESSFAMILY CULTURE

REFLECTIONS ON RESEARCH

GROWTH IN KNOWLEDGE OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

GROWTH IN KNOWLEDGE OF COMMUNITY

PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS EXPANDED

ENHANCEMENT OF SKILLSESTABLISHES ACADEMIC

RELATIONSHIPS

MIKISEW FIRST NATION

BUILDING SOCIAL CAPITAL

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

PROJECT TEAM INCLUDES 4 COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT TEAM (COT) MEMBERS, STAFF, 12 COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WERE TRAINED

PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT OCCURS – RESEARCH SKILLS, LEARNING ABOUT OUR COMMUNITIES

CONDUCTING SURVEYS

COMMUNICATION SKILLS – INTERVIEWING, DIALOGUE, DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS

WRITING, EDITING

NETWORKING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY

FOCUS GROUPS

INTERACTION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY

COMMUNICATIONPUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLSFACILITATION OF MEETINGS AND

FOCUS GROUPS

USIC/CANDO CONNECTION

USIC IS DEVELOPING THE PROFESSIONALS AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO CONDUCT SUCCESSFUL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

“GATHERING OUR RESOURCES”

FLYING DUST

BUILDING COMMUNITY CAPACITY

INVOLVED COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

Elders

Political – Chief and Council members

Prominent community members on Community Oversight Team

BENEFITS OF LEADERSHIP

Project Management and ControlSuccessful progression of research workAble to create community interestFundraising and Assessment of financial

risksInvolvement in ongoing project planning

BENEFITS OF LEADERSHIP

Key role in fundraising$80,000 from INAC, Ministry of Learning

and University of SaskatchewanEconomic development department of

INAC sees value of this Able to assess full benefits and risks so

adequate financing can be obtainedDeepened sense of ownership – results

will be community-owned

Benefits to the Community

USIC research contributes to better long-term planning

Training of community members – research methods, website design, video production

Reduced costs for training for participating First Nations

Benefits to Community

Encourages community participation and dialogue (e.g., admin staff focus group)

Understanding community dynamicsNetwork development – opened doors to

universities and academics, other participating First Nations, POC members

Promotion of strengths of First Nations (internally and externally)– newspaper articles, radio/tv interviews, websites

Links communities to one another

Strategic Benefits

Successful models of strength identified by USIC can be used for long-term planning (how to turn our weaknesses into strengths)

Use of USIC outcomes to leverage additional dollars for development – demonstrates the ability of participating First Nations to undertake and complete major research and development (justification for and validity of long-term development e.g., OSB mill)

Strategic Benefits

Community has developed insight into its own strengths and weaknesses e.g., lack of appropriate justice system and need for resolution to it

Contributing to the overall development of First Nations through the identification and process of successful models of development

USIC AND YORK UNIVERSITY

FIRST NATIONS IMPROVING RESEARCH METHODS

The USIC Survey

Our goal is to collect ~100 surveys from each community.

To date, close to 400 surveys have been completed & entered into a database.

The USIC survey is designed to be a holistic measure of community health:

1)Demographics 7) Family

2)Environment 8) Health

3)Leadership & Control 9) Empowerment

4)Social Networks 10) Housing

5)Culture 11) Education

6)Religion/Spirituality 12) Work/Income

Preliminary Statistical Findings

Strengths1. Cultural Identity / Pride2. Education3. Empowerment / Sense of Control4. Good Mental Health5. Openness to Other Cultures6. Spirituality / Religion7. Strong ties to family, friends & community8. Living in harmony with nature

Areas of Dissatisfaction

1.Not enough Aboriginal Cultural &/or Spiritual Activities

2.Not enough Programs for People at Risk

3.Not enough Local Jobs

4.Not enough Support for Small Businesses

5.Not enough Economic Development

6.Not enough Stray Animal Control

Experiences of Distributing the USIC Survey

1) Challenges & Frustrations

- high researcher turn-over rate

- motivating research team

- “being USIC at the community level”

For Researchers:

- enticing participation

- people feeling “researched to death”

- complaints about length, difficulty & personal nature of some questions

- privacy vs. interviewing people you know

- interviews (time-consuming) vs. fill-out-yourself (don’t get them back, or missing data)

- concern about personal questions triggering emotional trauma for some people

2) Successful Survey Researchers

- trusted, well-known community members with large networks of family & friends

- persistent yet patient

- honest

- positive & prepared to address concerns

- accommodating: make it as easy & as comfortable as possible for people

- respectful, sincere listener who makes people feel their input is valued & important

3) Strategies that Worked

- media campaign: generate a buzz

- offer incentives

- support of Chief & Council

- support of strong & influential COT

- be flexible:

- people fill out surveys themselves (privacy) but with direction from researcher (quality)

- tailor to community and individuals

CONCLUSION

FOCUS ON STRENGTHS LEADS TO STRONGER COMMUNITIES

RESPECTING LOCAL KNOWLEDGE BUILDS COMMUNITY CAPACITY

PARTICIPATORY PROCESS BUILDS SOCIAL CAPITAL

LEADING TO NEW AND IMPROVED RESEARCH PROCESS