Grant: Operating Grant: Indigenous Gender and Wellness - Knowledge Sharing

Since 2021, the Ilagiingniq project in Arviat, Nunavut, has been learning about Inuit-specific sexual and reproductive health. This learning is now ready to be shared. One aspect of this learning, the Inuit Perinatal Health Framework (IPHF), an Inuit-specific and Inuit-designed description of birthing underpinned by Inuit social, historical and cultural considerations from a gendered perspective, offers an important guide to communities, but also for both practice and policy discussions. Phase 4 funding will support mobilization of learnings from the IPHF with women in Nunavut through small knowledge sharing groups and an end-of-project conference. Knowledge sharing groups will support discussion with community members, including Elders and youth, and the conference will engage these same individuals as well as practitioners, program and policy decision makers. This project will 1) support knowledge sharing to improve health and wellness of women and families through culturally relevant ats-based activities; 2) bridge capacity of Inuit health trainees, researchers and community partners in knowledge sharing; and 3) contribute to ongoing learning through evaluation of knowledge sharing activities and approaches. Knowledge sharing groups will employ culturally relevant arts-based methods to support discussion, such as the collective creation of an embroidered wall hangings. Once completed, audio descriptions of each art-piece will be recorded by those involved. This approach will incorporate women's understandings and contributions to the knowledge exchange, offer means for sharing insights between and among different generations. Results will be shared at the project Conference and wall hangings offered to Kivalliq High Schools as teaching tools. An academic peer reviewed article will be developed alongside a short video (e.g., SciTube) for ease/access of engagement with the IPHF. Youth Inuit trainees have been involved in the design of this project.