Developing a Comprehensive Health and Well-being Survey

By Bunmi Afolabi and Amber Balan

Hello!

I'm Bunmi Afolabi, and I’m Amber Balan. We are 2nd year MDP students. We completed our second field placement with the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation (SVDN) Health Centre, which involved developing and designing a comprehensive Health and Well-being Survey questionnaire that captures relevant information about the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation community members.

Our placement community is Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, the largest Dakota Nation in Canada and the only self-governing First Nation with recognized jurisdiction by Canada and Manitoba. On July 1st, 2014, SVDN was no longer a signatory to the Treaty [1]. This means the Indian Act ceased to apply to Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, Sioux Valley Dakota Nation Lands and persons found on those lands.

We collaborated with the Health Centre staff team to design a survey questionnaire that includes questions relating to housing, nutrition, cultural safety, healthcare access, mental health, etc. This survey hopes to capture community-level information about the characteristics of the various demographics in SVDN and how the social determinants of health impact the quality of their lives and well-being.  To inform the design of the survey questionnaire, we conducted literature review to identify surveys carried out by other First Nations, Inuit, or Métis communities and Indigenous organizations. This has resulted in producing a draft survey with over 30 subsections. Each question has been reviewed and refined to ensure the language is simple, clear, concise, accurate, culturally appropriate, and relevant. 

This project is vital because the data obtained from the survey can be used to identify strengths and gaps while demonstrating the importance of developing and implementing programs and services that support every aspect of a community member's health and well-being. This will also support the community towards their goal of collecting, storing, and being stewards of their own data.

Food for Thought

 By Jessica Boucher-Cowie, 1st year MDP student

Through my placement with NorWest Co-op Community Food Centre, I had the opportunity to connect with people through a variety of programs oriented toward the community. Primarily, the farm project has offered a unique opportunity to bring people together through sharing the responsibilities of tending to the land, plants, and upkeeping with harvesting. The farm is fruitful and growing each day and everyone’s hard work is evident when visiting the site.

 My experience with NorWest has equipped me with valuable skills and knowledge as I was able to learn about plant maintenance, sustainable methods, and the food-based needs of the local community. I am excited to be a part of the farms’ success with the community and to have had the opportunity to connect with NorWest staff, students, and volunteers through this project.

This experience has contributed to my overall learning and strengthened my interest in Indigenous food systems and knowledges, which will support my continued studies in the upcoming year of MDP. It has also provided me with the foundation to continue to develop my land-based skillset. I deeply appreciate the reciprocal relationship between myself and the NorWest Co-op Community Food Centre and look forward to watching the successes of their future and ongoing projects. 

Naawi-Oodena Project

 By Alex Cote, 2nd year MDP student 

Kwey! Aniin Boozhoo! Tanisi! Hello! Bonjour!

Nindizhinikaaz Alex, ningigoo ojibwemong zoongigondaagan. Gaawiin ningikenimaasii nindoodem. Nindoonjibaa dimiitigweyaa. Nindaa Gaa-okosing. 

Hello, my name is Alex. I was given the name Strong Voice, I am originally from Deep River, Ontario, but I am currently a visitor to Treaty 1 in Winnipeg. I have been given the privilege to introduce my current placement opportunity to you all! So without further ado, I have been working on the Naawi-Oodena Language initiative alongside two other research assistants and supervisor: Dr. Lorena Fontaine and Dr. Hugh Grant. 

The project explores the potential for the University of Winnipeg to develop a working relationship with Treaty One Development Corporation through the delivery of credit and non-credit Indigenous language courses on-site at Naawi-Oodena. Revitalizing Indigenous languages is a crucial driver towards reconciliation with the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people. Unfortunately, in Canada, Indigenous languages face extinction while facing a crisis shortage of Indigenous language teachers. This proposal seeks to answer this crisis while paying close attention to the TRC’s Call to Action, language speakers, and community members.

Navigating an online field placement holistically

By Kiera Kowalski, 2nd year MDP student

My family's cabin is my happy place.

I love being on the land, near the water

While this summer feels strikingly similar to the last, many of us working tirelessly behind screens,
showing up to zoom meetings half-done up, and yearning for in person connection, I feel somewhat excited. This placement is the last credit required before I can hit the ground running in a post-grad world. This summer I’m completing my field placement alongside Dr. Shauna MacKinnon in the Department of Urban and Inner City Studies at the University of Winnipeg on a project called Indigenous Resistance and Institutional Development in Winnipeg: 1950-2019. As part of my placement duties I am thematically cataloguing a series of interviews with key change makers, leaders and Indigenous rights activists who were instrumental in the development of urban Indigenous institutions beginning around the 1960s and carrying on until the late 90s. These interviews will be mixed into educational audio episodes with the interviewees recounting their experience and involvement in Indigenous lead movements pertaining to topics like child welfare, housing, and education and the Friendship Centres movement.

Re-learning how to sew

Due to the pandemic I am completing this work online. While restrictions have slowly eased up, I still find it a challenge to work remotely and think it’s important to be gentle with ourselves as we continue to navigate the ever-changing world we live in. To me it’s important to do so that I avoid burnout and continue to do good work for my community. I try to find an appropriate balance of doing my work, spending time with loved ones, being on the land and making time to be creative. In my down time this summer I’ve enjoyed being at my family’s cabin by the water, and spending time with other strong Indigenous women re-learning how to sew. Caring for myself holistically has definitely made it easier to engage in online work through my field placement.

Ogijiita Pimatiswin Kinamatwin

By Esther Awotwe, 2nd year MDP student 

These powerful words greeted me at the door when I first reported for my domestic field placement at the office of Gang Action Interagency Network (GAIN). GAIN is a grassroots community organization with about 25 partner agencies and organizations in Winnipeg dedicated to curbing gang violence in the city. The mission of GAIN is to collaborate community resources, consistently share service and awareness information, build strong relationships within agencies and the community in order to effectively administer gang prevention, intervention and exit strategies for gang involved youths. Gang related violence in Winnipeg is a reoccurring issue which is of great concern to GAIN and its partner organizations. 

The city of Winnipeg in 2011 recorded an unprecedented high of 39 homicides with over one third of these crimes involving youths aged 14-24. Coming from an Indigenous development background these numbers were quite troubling and worrisome to me and instinctively the first question I asked myself was where did we fail as a society? What support systems are available for our youths who need help? Even if support was available, how has it been administered? Is it through labelling, ‘us’ versus ‘them’ or rather through a reciprocal system of love, mutuality and responsibility? As I began to delve deep into these initial thoughts during my orientation at GAIN, “Ogijiita Pimatiswin Kinamatwin” the words that greeted me began to make sense to me. Ogijiita Pimatiswin Kinamatwin originated from an Ojibway Elder and Ogijiita means the spirit of both a warrior and a provider of the community. Pimatiswin means “good life” and Kinimatwin means “to walk a good life”.

GAIN in collaboration with its partners seek to help the youth to reclaim their future through strategies and programs that seek to empower the youth to be brave warriors; people who are not afraid to confront the past, surmount all obstacles and build the necessarily skills to posses their bright futures. I was therefore excited to learn that I will be working on the mentorship component of the gang exit strategy. An arduous task I must say but I am excited to draw on the skills developed in the MDP Program and in my human resource degree to work on this exciting project. Communities that children grow up in do have a profound effect on the adults they become so it is imperative to create safe, enabling, peaceful and loving environments now for youths in order to enjoy violence free communities in the future.

Mentoring provides an opportunity for the youth to be role models and develop life skills that allow them to be positive citizens. An important aspect of adopting mentorship as a component of gang exit strategy is the socio-cultural identity it offers the youth; knowing who they are, where they come from and imbibing the cultural and social values of high self esteem, respect and reciprocity is crucial to the emotional strength that these youths require to lead the good life. I am excited to see how the mentorship component unfolds as I interact with all the various partners for this project.   

Indigenous and Newcomer Relations: a good start!

Bi Aliraza Alidina, 1st year MDP student

Globalization, immigration, war, displacement, economic struggles … these are words that define the world we live in. There is a chain of interconnected factors – from history to contemporary politics – that have shaped what is today Canada. Interestingly, one could ask: what is it to be a Canadian? What is the essence of Canadian-ness? Just like a big chunk of the modern globe, Canada is a new country. The country is new, but the land is not. Land and its native inhabitants have always remained. The rest is a result of colonialism, settlement, and immigration. History cannot be changed. There is room to make future better, so that there is a positive trend in the history seen from the near future. For that, we will have to focus on the ‘now’! 

Winnipeg is a city with different dynamics amongst which are a large urban Aboriginal population and an ever growing newcomer population. The two communities share a lot in common: history, culture, traditions, socioeconomic challenges, etc. There lies however many barriers and misconceptions between the two. Without going into details on the reasons behind it – something I am working on in my placement project – the primary reason behind it is the lack of dialogue, positive interaction and communication. Community organizations, settlement service providers and grassroots groups can play a leading role in this regards. Through these platforms, a safe space for dialogue can be created. In this safe space, exchange can happen on diverse areas: history, culture, identity, experiences, views, beliefs and so on. These exchanges – if done in a framework of respect and understanding – can produce good results. Do such initiatives exist in Winnipeg? For sure, they do!

Event poster

I attended one such initiative titled Indigenous and Newcomer Relations which took place on June 20th, the World Refugee Day. Interestingly, the following day represented Aboriginal National Day. The event was organized by 13 Fires Winnipeg in partnership with Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, Manitoba Moon Voices, World University Service of Canada, and the Spence Neighbourhood Association.

The main component of the event – besides from the talks given by different speakers – was the relations-building activity. The attendants were made into different groups with a good mixture of newcomer, mainstream population and Indigenous. The activity consisted in engaging in serious discussions on several questions such as racism, similarities, inclusion, etc.

Group members shared their personal experiences and observations on different aspects such as stereotypes that they have been hearing about Indigenous peoples. It was interesting to hear people share about commonalities in terms of spirituality, culture, language and history.  

Gardening and Development

By Leah McDonnell, 1st year MDP student

Leah in the garden

With my final days at NorWest Community Food Centre are closing in, I have begun to self-reflect on my time here.  Although I was designated to mainly support the creation of a traditional Indigenous medicine garden, I have been able to participate in many other areas of development through the organization. 

However, one of the biggest learning points for myself to take away from this internship is that I can garden.  I’m actually pretty darn good at it too.  I never thought that I would gain so many skills so quickly. I am lucky insofar as I work with a very supportive staff and the garden manager has decided to use this specific community garden as a learning experience.  What does that mean?  It’s ok to make mistakes (in my case, probably a few mistakes).  However, I have probably learned more by being able to try different ideas and make mistakes than I would have if I was given a strict set of rules. It also creates a very easy-going feel through the community garden itself, allowing people to come out, learn a little bit and relax in a safe and supportive environment.

Weekly community farmer's market in Blake Gardens

During my time at NorWest I have been involved with many different programs that run through the centre.  One of the most effective programs NorWest runs, in my opinion, is the weekly community farmer’s market in Blake Gardens.  The organization purchases, in bulk, various veggies, fruits, meats and eggs. Then sells these products back to community members at cost - for example, 5 bananas for $1CDN, 6 eggs for $1.50, etc.  The prices are kept as low as possible and the market does not make a profit.  Instead, it uses the money made during the week to invest in groceries for next week’s market.  While most of the produce will sell out, any that is left over is taken back to the food centre and is used in community lunches, so there is no waste.   

As there are direct linkages to access to healthy nutrition and development (both mental and physical) this market is able to address immediate needs in the community by providing healthy foods at affordable pricing.  While working at the market, I also got to know a lot of people in the community and made and fostered some great relationships. 

While I am sad that my time at NorWest is over, I have had a wonderful (and resume building) experience.

Miigwetch