NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: North Slave Region

Tags: photovoice, community based research, substance use, healing path

Objective(s): To address the following research questions: (a) How do Tli?cho youth understand the community strengths, challenges and needs related to substance use in the Tli?cho region? (b) What existing services and initiatives may be strengthened to promote healing and wellness?; and (c) How can local knowledges and participation be engaged to develop evidence-based community programming?

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No. 5836. This project aims to address the following research questions: (a) How do Tli?cho youth understand the community strengths, challenges and needs related to substance use in the Tli?cho region? (b) What existing services and initiatives may be strengthened to promote healing and wellness?; and (c) How can local knowledges and participation be engaged to develop evidence-based community programming? Embedded within the Tli?cho Hotii?` Ts'eeda Edets’àts’edi Eto/Tli?cho Healing Path, an addictions-to-wellness initiative being developed and implemented by the Tli?cho Government (TG) and its partners, this study will contribute to TG in two overarching ways. First, it will directly inform TG efforts to strengthen the services and support it provides to communities and create opportunities for healing and wellness, aligning with a multi-year written strategy that will be publicly available in 2024. Second, it will help to strengthen an existing Tli?cho community-based participatory research (CBPR) program. As part of a Tli?cho-led, collaborative and community-based approach, this project will generate evidence to inform TG in its programs as well as advocacy with territorial and federal governments on issues related to substance use and healing. This project utilizes a research method called photovoice, which is a visual storytelling approach. Photovoice involves community members as co-researchers to ensure that the research reflects their interests and allows them to share their experiences through pictures and narratives. The goal is to co-create knowledge with Tli?cho citizens through critical dialogue, contributing to the Tli?cho Government's vision of promoting health and well-being in connection with language, culture, and way of life. After obtaining necessary approvals, the research team plans to recruit Tli?cho youth (aged 16-18) impacted by substance use for a six-session photovoice project. Recruitment materials will be shared across the Tli?cho region through partners like the Tli?cho Community Services Agency. Before the photovoice sessions, participants will receive information sheets and consent forms, and a launch gathering will take place in Yellowknife or Behchoko`, including basic training on photography and research ethics. Each community will have a photovoice group led by a Community-Based Researcher (CBR), consisting of a maximum of 8 youth. Over six sessions, participants will explore guiding questions relevant to their communities, take photos reflecting their answers, discuss the photos, and select three photos representing key issues. They will then create narrative captions, establish categories, and generate recommendations related to healing and wellness. The research team, led by Tenzin Butsang (TB), will conduct thematic content analysis and comparative analysis across the four communities. A second round of analysis will involve collaboration with other team members. Results and recommendations will be presented to participants and community advisors for validation, and feedback will be sought for the Tli?cho Government's next steps in knowledge translation and mobilization. This iterative process will continue until consensus is reached on results and recommendations. The engagement between the Principal Investigator (PI) and Tli?cho citizens/Tli?cho Government (TG) staff started in January 2023. The co-investigators have set up a structure where the TG Department of Healing and Community Wellness will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the project. LB and her team, with support from CM, will provide guidance on project planning, implementation, and knowledge translation. The department will facilitate access to Elders and Knowledge Keepers from each of the four Tli?cho communities, as well as community-based TG staff who can offer support and advice. Presentations are planned with Chiefs and Community Government Councils in each of the four Tli?cho communities to share the project's aims, research questions, and knowledge translation plans. This input will be sought before the start of data generation activities. Oversight from Tli?cho Citizens and support from community advisors are crucial to connect the project with Tli?cho knowledge, strengths-based approaches, capacity building, and successful sharing of knowledge among community members and decision-makers. The involvement of Tli?cho Citizens and community advisors will be crucial in reviewing research questions and design, as well as providing advice on participant recruitment. With their oversight, the project aims to identify and train four Tli?cho community-based researchers (CBRs) on topics such as research ethics, data generation, and the photovoice methodology. These CBRs and Elders will be compensated according to TG rates for their valuable contributions. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from: March 19 - August 31, 2024