Experiences and well-being among Indigenous former youth in care within Canada

Aspects of Wellbeing for Indigenous Youth in CANZUS Countries: A Systematic Review

“…Forty-two articles [ 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 ], from 38 unique studies, reported on aspects of Indigenous youth wellbeing in Canada. Our thematic analysis identified eight aspects of wellbeing for this population: basic resources for survival; safety and stability; relationships with others; culture and spirituality; knowledge, opportunities, and the future; identity; resilience and independence; and recreation and interests.…”

“…For many Indigenous youth in Canada, having access to the basic resources for survival is a common challenge to their wellbeing [ 41 , 44 , 45 , 49 , 54 , 57 , 58 , 62 , 63 ]. The condition of the land and environment [ 54 , 57 , 58 , 62 ], together with youths’ social and living conditions [ 44 , 45 , 67 , 71 ], underpin access to these resources. For Indigenous youth, access to basic resources significantly influences their capacity to maintain meaningful connections with others, which significantly affects wellbeing [ 41 ].…”

“…These connections can be disrupted by industry, pollution and experiences of upheaval, mobility and separation [ 63 , 64 , 66 ]. Colonising systems, such as child welfare, can alienate and disempower youth, separating them from vital connections with family, community and culture [ 41 , 55 , 56 , 68 , 71 , 80 ]. Indigenous youth are often cognisant of the damage that substance use, both their own and by their caregivers, has on their sense of safety, stability and wellbeing [ 45 , 46 , 49 , 67 , 70 , 74 ].…”

“…Maintaining traditional languages [ 42 , 43 , 48 , 56 , 61 , 64 , 79 ] and participating in cultural activities, such as subsistence living, sweats, traditional gatherings and talking circles [ 43 , 44 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 57 , 59 , 60 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 69 , 70 , 75 , 76 , 79 , 80 ], are sources of cultural strength, physical and mental health and wellbeing, and are particularly important for youth who have been disconnected from family [ 44 , 55 , 56 , 70 , 71 , 80 ]. These activities are critical for the transmission of cultural knowledge and wellbeing to the next generation [ 48 , 51 , 54 , 57 , 58 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 69 , 73 , 75 , 76 , 79 , …”

Predictors of Land-Based Activity Participation in a National Representative Sample of Indigenous Individuals Living Off-Reserve

“…The benefit of culture as both a process one actively engages in and/or an outcome indicator has been conceptualized in a variety of ways within Indigenous health research. These include various processes and outcomes that relate to engagement in culture, including promoting cultural identity [35][36][37], cultural connectedness [38][39][40][41], cultural efficacy [42], and cultural continuity [43][44][45]. For example, among residential school survivors, connectedness to culture has been associated with better mental health outcomes [39].…”