Sustainability's Paradox: Petro-Capitalism, Climate Change and Well-Being in Northern Communities: Phase 2

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Sahtu Settlement Area, Dehcho Region

Tags: health, social sciences, wellness, petroleum industry, climate change

Principal Investigator: Freeland Ballantyne, Erin A (1)
Licence Number: 14342
Organization: University of Oxford Centre for the Environment
Licensed Year(s): 2008 2007
Issued: May 09, 2008
Project Team: Courtney Kakfwi (Community Youth Video Reseracher), Cara Manuel (Community Youth Video Reseracher), Jeanette Kakfwi (Community Youth Video Reseracher), Tamara Mcneely (Community Youth Video Reseracher)

Objective(s): The project facilitates the training of a youth researcher team in Fort Simpson and Tuktoyaktuk through a process of participatory video to learn with community members about the concerns and impacts of climate change and oil and gas development on well-being in the community.

Project Description: The project facilitates the training of a youth researcher team in Fort Simpson and Tuktoyaktuk through a process of participatory video to learn with community members about the concerns and impacts of climate change and oil and gas development on well-being in the community. The community will form a research team to guide the project, directed through youth-lead focus groups. Participants will be informed about research objectives and consent obtained. A participatory learning method will build video skills through exercises designed to build teamwork, and interview, story-telling and video skills. A DVD will be produced to show to the community, followed by discussion about the issues. Interviews and focus groups will be used to collect data from interested individuals on the topics decided upon. A field journal will be kept, as well as a group video journal. The project will be evaluated with a team meeting and questionnaire. A male and female Elder will act as guides through the process. Copies of the DVD will be left in the communities. Youth will have the opportunity to train individuals in other communities, and collaborate in a longer project that combines footage from all communities, as well as an online teaching-tool, "Our Land, Our Life, Our Future", where communities can contribute to a growing data-base about culture, community, climate change and oil and gas development. All non-film interviews will be verified by participants. The PhD thesis, final report, and plain language summary will be filed with the community, on the website, and in the Aurora Research Institute library. A poster of the results will be distributed. Presentations will be hosted in all communities. Findings will be shared at the Indigenous Environmental Network Conference. There is a possibility to provide a stipend to community researchers. Fieldwork will be conducted from May 12 to December 31, 2008 at Fort Good Hope, Fort Simpson, Tuktoyaktuk.