In keeping with its mandate to align research with the province's needs, SHRF is investing $39,490 in various projects to improve Indigenous people's health by addressing Calls to Action set out by Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The Mobilize: Truth and Action funding will enable project teams to carry out activities such as sharing Indigenous knowledge and stories, addressing historical attitudes, behaviours and structures, and providing guidance on delivering culturally responsive health care.
Funding Recipients
Jorden Cummings, University of Saskatchewan
$9,496
Indigenous Intercultural Skills for Clinical Psychologists: Knowledge Mobilization for Safe and Appropriate Care
Project Summary
The project, led by an Indigenous Advisory Committee and collaborating with the University of Saskatchewan Microcredential team, aims to address mental health disparities among Indigenous Peoples in Canada. They are developing a postgraduate certificate program for clinical psychologists, focusing on Indigenous intercultural skills. The training seeks to increase the capacity of Canadian clinical psychologists who can provide safe and culturally appropriate care and improve accessibility to mental health services for Indigenous Peoples seeking treatment.
Lindsey Boechler, Saskatchewan Polytechnic
Eileen Zaba, Saskatchewan Polytechnic
$10,000
The Road to Miyo-Pimahtisiwin: A Journey of Healing
Project Summary
The research project, a collaboration between James Smith Cree Nation (JSCN), East Central First Nations Education Partnership, and Aspen Films, focuses on addressing the aftermath of a series of attacks within the JSCN community in September 2022. Partnering with Saskatchewan Polytechnic researchers and La Loche community members, they aim to develop a preparedness framework for mass casualty incident response planning, drawing from experiences such as the 2016 La Loche school shooting. The framework will identify best practices to support community leaders during future crises in Indigenous communities. Additionally, the project seeks to produce community-friendly outputs such as short video segments, allowing the JSCN community to reclaim their story from a First Nation perspective with dignity and respect and as part of knowledge mobilization efforts.
Shana Pasapa, YWCA Regina
$10,000
What Did Your Grandparents Eat?
Project Summary
In this project, the YWCA Regina is working with Chef Shane Chartrand, Knowledge Keeper Nina Wilson, and The Comeback Society to share traditional knowledge related to land, food, medicine, and holistic well-being. Through a series of five-day activities throughout the year, participants will engage in on-the-land experiences led by Knowledge Keepers, where they will learn traditional ways of gathering and preparing food and medicine. These experiences will include discussions about ancestral diets, community building, and practical instruction on cultivating windowsill gardens. Additionally, participants will be able to learn from an Indigenous Chef about traditional food preparation and its connection to body health during a feast. They will eat what has been gathered, further build community and connection with each other, and learn to utilize the knowledge gained practically in their daily lives to improve their health and stay connected to cultural knowledge.
Angela McGinnis, University of Regina
Andrea Sterzuk, University of Regina
Adela Kincaid, University of Calgary
Michael Dubnewick, University of Regina
$9,993.93
Indigenous Roots of Holistic Health: Restoring the Traditional Land-Human Relationship through the Co-Creation of a Community-Based Wellness Garden
Project Summary
The research project, a collaboration between educators at the Muscowpetung Education Center and the University of Saskatchewan Gardening Outreach Centre, seeks to address the historical disconnect between Indigenous peoples and their traditional land-human relationships. Drawing from the successes and lessons learned from the Seven Sisters Reconciliation Garden project at the University of Regina and recognizing the potential of nature-based therapies to enhance mental health and wellness, particularly among Indigenous youth and adults, the project aims to co-develop a community-based Wellness Garden at Muscowpetung First Nation. This garden will integrate both scientific and traditional Indigenous regenerative horticultural practices, guided by community Elders and Knowledge Keepers, to promote positive mental health outcomes, educational success, and cultural and ecological connection.