Grant: Operating Grant: NEIHR - Manitoba

This renewal of the MB NEIHR is led primarily by Indigenous scholars and organizations who have a long history of being supported by and participating in Canadian Institutes for Health Research's mentorship programs. These programs contributed to supporting a cadre of Indigenous health scholars who are now flourishing across universities, in their community, in health professions and in Indigenous organizations. In this renewal, we bring two interconnected components together at Ongomiizwin Research at the University of Manitoba, under the MB NEIHR: (1) continued development of community-level research lodges situated within 5 Indigenous organizations through the NEIHR Indigenous partner organizations (NIPOs) Support Unit, and (2) growing and strengthening career pathways for existing and emerging Indigenous scholars of all genders to work alongside and within Indigenous organizations and communities through PIKE-Net. We see tremendous synergies between the NIPO Support Unit and PIKE-Net. From 2017-22, 12 Indigenous undergraduate trainees were placed in NIPOs and mentored by community-based researchers. PIKE-Net also supported 4 Indigenous trainees who received their PhD or are near completion, and preferred to seek employment within an Indigenous organization, in support of Indigenous self-determination. As NIPOs grow their own program of research, we see a clear trail for trainees to acquire community-based Indigenous research skills within NIPOs, and NIPOs expanding their human resources and skills set in the pursuit of their own priorities.