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As the project unfolded, we realized that it was becoming more than a research project: it was becoming a lesson in community engagement and community development.
Indigenous research principles and practices including promoting “cultural safety” (rather than “cross-cultural awareness”) and supporting “community-driven” research (rather than “community-based”), ensured our Aboriginal community members remained the authors and drivers of the process, their experiences and voices at the centre.
Along the way we learned there were some key elements—dedicated funding, being housed in
a trusted community resource, and community participation and leadership, to name a few—that were contributing to our success. With Aboriginal culture as the foundation, these elements now make up North Bay’s model for urban Aboriginal development. This model is the basis for our Action Plan.
Mobilizing the community and creating an Action Plan reflects some of the common steps and goals of the Government of Canada’s Urban Aboriginal Strategy program.1 Established in 1997, its purpose is to strengthen the social and economic welfare of Aboriginal peoples in urban settings.
We are extremely pleased and excited to share this report with you. In the first section (“Share”), we talk about our process of working together, ultimately creating a model for urban Aboriginal community development. In the second section (“Learn”), we focus on the issues facing our community. Throughout we highlight our strengths, aspirations and recommendations. In the last section (“Act”), we present our Action Plan.
Implementing our model, acting on our community’s priorities, and becoming an Urban Aboriginal Strategy site, will strengthen the social and economic welfare of our Aboriginal community members.
Join us on our journey to help each person live a good life.
1To learn more, refer to Appendix A.
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