Grant: SPOR SUPPORT Unit Extension

Created in partnership with Indigenous peoples' governments (IGs) and the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) in 2018, the NWT SPOR SUPPORT Unit, Hotii ts'eeda (HT) (pronounced: Ho-tea tsay-duh) in the Tlicho language means "Working together for good health in a way that we leave each other in a state of grace." In the NWT, Indigenous people are the majority, and suffer ongoing colonization impacts, including low levels of trust in the health system and health research, and significant disparities in wellness compared to non-Indigenous residents. The extension phase will continue HT's work to support building trust, capacity development, cultural safety, and mutual respect and reciprocal relationships between Indigenous individuals and organizations, and the health system and health researchers. HT will promote this through funding and partnering on activities within the required components of data access, capacity development, knowledge translation, and learning health systems. In addition, HT will bring best practices in implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; OCAP®; and cultural safety to working with other SPOR entities. HT will continue its work fostering mutual support and collaboration on matters of mutual priority among the three Territorial SUPPORT Units. HT governance aligns with Indigenous values and practices. Four of the six Governing Council members are Indigenous Governments; HT's host organization is the Tlicho Government; and HT's annual in-person accountability gathering, the Elèts'ehdèe (pronounced: Ek'-lets'-eh-dee), meaning "gathering" in the Tlicho language, similar to the annual in person gatherings of all NWT Indigenous Governments. It provides the opportunity for all HT partners to establish and renew relationships during HT's annual accountability and priority-setting activities in a land-based setting, including opportunities to share the methods, impacts, and outcomes of their work.