Grant: Operating Grant - PA: Aboriginal Mental Health and/or Addictions Research

The PL3A3Y project will focus on the development and delivery of a series of community directed interventions for youth ages 10 through 16 at Standing Buffalo First Nation, communities of Treaty #4 and Sturgeon Lake First Nations. This approach will involve the planning, development, implementation, and modification of a combination activities and opportunities for youth in these communities as an augmentation to current programs offered through the schools and community sports/recreation programs. The community based participatory action research team will use culturally appropriate approaches including photography, art, music, and drama in determining the optimal intervention package for these target groups in making positive 'healthier' choices while building capacity for leadership and accountability for behaviors. This research is part of a research program entitled Paths to Living Well, which is a holistic and culturally enriched approach to health. A key output of the project will be an Aboriginal, community based youth wellness research agenda reaching beyond solely the physical aspects of health, by emphasizing the holistic, including the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual elements of wellness.