Fromcontrollingtoconnecting: M’Wikwedong as a place of urban Indigenous health promotion in Canada

Abstract

In recent years, health promotion has come under critique for being framed according to the contexts and priorities of Western communities, with the notion of ‘control’ underpinning much of its theoretical and practical development. Ceding space to Indigenous voices and knowledge is one way forward to overcoming this limitation and decolonizing the field. This paper reports on insights gained from a participatory digital storytelling project focused on Indigenous health promotion that took place at M’Wikwedong Indigenous Friendship Centre in the city of Owen Sound, Canada. The research team was formed by M’Wikwedong’s Executive Director, five Indigenous youth and two university researchers. We co-created data through an 8-month digital storytelling process that involved 13 weekly research meetings, the creation of 4 digital stories and video screenings. We analysed data from seven group interview transcriptions, field notes and video transcripts through qualitative coding and theme building. The four themes we identified speak to the ways M’Wikwedong reinforced connections to youth, their sense of self, place in the city and Indigenous cultures. From our findings, we theorize that egalitarianism of knowledge, restoring balance in relationships and Indigenous leadership are core components of an ‘ethos of connection’ that underlies Indigenous health promotion. The ‘ethos of connection’ challenges Western notions of ‘control’ and brings attention to the unique expertise and practices of urban Indigenous communities and organizations as a primary basis for health promotion.

Enhancing health and wellness by, for and with Indigenous youth in Canada: a scoping review

“… None mentioned. 20 Sanchez-Pimienta et al, 2021 [ 44 ]. To describe insights gained from a youth co-led participatory digital storytelling project focused on Indigenous health promotion strategies.…”

“…The facilitators/strengths and barriers/roadblocks have also been categorized into sub-themes under five major themes for facilitators/strengths and six major themes for barriers/roadblocks. Health outcomes/programs examined by included studies included suicide prevention [ 40 ], mental health promotion [ 71 , 74 ], HIV prevention [ 75 ], wellness promotion through youth empowerment and cultural activism [5, 8, 16, 57, 72,,76, 77, 78,79, 80], social health [ 76 , 83 ], land-based healing and wellness [ 77 , 82 ], art-media based therapy and wellness [ 44 , 73 , 81 , 84 ]. An overview of the facilitators/strengths and barriers/roadblocks to enhancing health and wellness by, for, and with Indigenous youth is presented in Fig.…”

“… Promoting strength-based approaches to youth engagement 19 (95.0) [ 5 , 8 , 16 , 44 , 57 , 71 – 84 ] 1. Lack of community support (social, financial, organizational for wellness promotion among Indigenous youth) 11 (55.0) [ 5 , 44 , 57 , 72 , 74 – 78 , 80 , 81 ] 1a Peer-to-peer mentoring (Indigenous youth mentored by, and with other Indigenous youth) 15 (75.0) [ 5 , 8 , 44 , 57 , 71 , 73 – 76 , 79 – 84 ] 2. Structural and organizational issues within Indigenous communities with regards to wellness promotion programs 10 (50.0) [ 5 , 8 , 72 , 73 , 76 – 78 , 81 – 83 ] 1b Engaging youth in activities that develop and promote self-determination, capacity budling, and empowerment (e.g., guided storyboarding, performative art, arts-based therapy, etc.)…”

“… Structural and organizational issues within Indigenous communities with regards to wellness promotion programs 10 (50.0) [ 5 , 8 , 72 , 73 , 76 – 78 , 81 – 83 ] 1b Engaging youth in activities that develop and promote self-determination, capacity budling, and empowerment (e.g., guided storyboarding, performative art, arts-based therapy, etc.) 15 (75.0) [ 5 , 8 , 44 , 57 , 72 – 74 , 76 – 80 , 82 – 84 ] 2a Community concerns affecting the sustainability of instituted wellness programs/strategies 4 (20.0) [ 5 , 8 , 78 , 81 ] 1c Building positive relationships with one another, with nature and the environment 14 (70.0) [ 5 , 8 , 44 , 57 , 72 , 73 , 76 , 77 , 79 – 84 ] 2b Dogmatism about definitions regarding traditions of health among Indigenous communities 4 (20.0) [ 72 , 77 , 82 , 83 ] 1d Showing kindness to one another 9 (45.0) [ 5 , 16 , 44 , …”

“…For example, health research involving Indigenous peoples in Canada tends to focus on Indigenous health deficits and identified social determinants in the communities, more often and without proper representation [ 43 ]. Additionally, there is the imposition of research on rather than with youth [ 43 , 44 ]; and the failure to acknowledge Indigenous worldviews in research, to ensure in benefits them [ 43 ].…”