ENHANCING HEALTH AND WELLNESS BY, WITH AND FOR INDIGENOUS YOUTH AT STURGEON LAKE FIRST NATION, SASKATCHEWAN
Date
2025-01-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ORCID
0000-0002-0973-1163
Type
Thesis
Degree Level
Doctoral
Abstract
Background: Sturgeon Lake First Nation (SLFN) emphasizes that health and wellness must be deeply rooted in their cultural traditions, guided by their Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers and prioritized through reciprocal relationships.
Objectives: The objectives were: 1) to learn what had been published in the literature about ways to engage Indigenous youth such that it enhances wellness, 2) to understand how SLFN youth perceive mental health and wellness using data collected for the ACCESS Open Mind Program, and 3) to engage young men and boys at SLFN in evaluating the Nation’s Youth Power Program (YPP).
Methodology and Methods: The project utilized a strength-based braided framework integrating Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), Transformative Action Research (TAR), and Participatory Empowerment Evaluation (PEE). Each phase employed distinct study designs: Phase 1 involved a participatory Scoping Review; Phase 2 was a Secondary Data Analysis of data from the ACCESS Open Mind Program; and Phase 3 was a Participatory Empowerment Evaluation (PEE) of the YPP.
Findings: The Scoping Review highlighted key facilitators of wellness enhancement, including strength-based approaches in Indigenous research, engaging youth in culturally grounded activities, and seeking guidance from Elders and Knowledge Keepers. The strength-based Secondary Data Analysis showed that 91% of SLFN youth participated in affirming activities like school or work. One hundred percent reported having a reliable adult in their lives, highlighting the crucial role of relational support in youth wellness. The evaluation of the YPP highlighted that reciprocal relationships with families and peers were central to wellness. Youth expressed pride in their cultural identity and stronger peer connections, identifying hope, trust, and belonging as key pillars guiding their wellness journeys toward self-empowerment and self-determination. This work led to the co-creation of a Strength-Based Wellness Framework grounded in the Nation's culture and values.
Conclusion: These Nation-led projects demonstrated how wellness was enhanced by and with Indigenous youth integrating findings from a Scoping Review, Secondary Data Analysis, and participatory empowerment evaluation. It celebrates Sturgeon Lake First Nation’s (SLFN) strengths, resilience, and cultural values and underscores the importance of strengths-based, culturally grounded, and ethical research within Indigenous research and program planning.
Description
Keywords
Participatory Research, Wellness Promotion, Indigenous Youth Engagement, Indigenous Youth Empowerment, Sturgeon Lake First Nation
Citation
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Department
Medicine
Program
Health Sciences