Researchers studying Aboriginal youth health leadership through theater

REGINA (Released: Monday, November 9, 2009) The First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv), in partnership with File Hills Qu’Appelle Health Services and Concordia University, is pleased to announce the launch of a new four-year research project to study the development of Aboriginal youth health leadership through theatre. The project is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Researchers will use theatre and other art forms to help youth examine their decision-making processes regarding healthy and unhealthy behaviours, and document the process of First Nations youth becoming health leaders with the involvement of Elders and other supportive adults. Once complete the findings will be shared with other Indigenous youth, community members, and policy makers.

The research team is comprised of the following:

Karen Schmidt, Health Educator, FHQ

Dr. Jo-Ann Episkenew, First Nations University of Canada

Dr. Linda Goulet, First Nations University of Canada

Dr. Warren Linds, Concordia University



Other university partners include:

Dr. Carrie Bourassa, First Nations University of Canada

Jonathon Dewar, Aboriginal Healing Foundation

Dr. Mary Hampton, Luther College, University of Regina

Dr. Varda Mann-Feder, Concordia

Dr. Caroline Tait, University of Saskatchewan

Dr. Felice Yuen, Concordia University



Background

In 2005, with a research grant from the Indigenous People’s Health Research Centre, a partnership began between the File Hills Qu’Appelle (FHQ) Tribal Council Health Services and university partners from the First Nations University of Canada and Concordia University. The objective was to offer theatre workshops to help First Nations youth examine the processes they use to make decisions that affect their health. Seven workshops with Indigenous youth in the FHQ Tribal Council area have taken place since 2006.

In the spring of 2009, a research team was organized to include partners from other universities that resulted in the successful approval of a four-year research grant from the Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR). The current research project is based on our previous research with over 150 FHQ youth where the theatre activities provided the space for the youths' Indigenous knowledge to emerge, thus empowering them to be more aware of their decision-making including positive and negative consequences.

Participants reported that the workshops helped them overcome shyness and develop confidence, attributes that are necessary for making independent decisions in a context of constant peer pressure that has often resulted in participation in unhealthy activities. The FHQ youth participants who experienced the transformative power of theatre activities during these workshops took leadership in assisting other First Nations youth do the same, and, with the support of the Health educator at FHQ, delivered similar theatre workshops to younger children in FHQ area.

The current research project will get underway with a feast at the FHQTC All Nations’ Healing Hospital in Fort Qu’Appelle on November 19, 2009.

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About First Nations University of Canada

First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv) was established in 1976 as the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College (SIFC) through a federated partnership with the University of Regina. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees within an environment of First Nations culture and history combining First Nation-oriented and standard areas of study in each of its twelve programs.