Grant: Centres for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C and STBBIs Research - Indigenous populations

The current political and social realities of Indigenous life in Canada (i.e., higher rates of sexually-transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs), ongoing colonization, the need for health policy and programs responsive to Indigenous world views, etc.) requires thoughtful attention to Indigenous health research that effect positive social change. The Feast Centre for Indigenous STBBI Research has been designed to enhance the use of Indigenous knowledges in current efforts to design research into impactful health programs. The Feast Centre is focused on reducing the health impacts of sexually-transmitted and blood-borne infection (STBBIs) for Indigenous communities. Let by a team of Indigenous community and scholars, the goal of the centre is to use Indigenous knowledge to shape future STBBI research. Drawing community-based research, and Indigenous and decolonizing approaches to doing research, the following objectives are proposed: (1) support STBBI research that uses Indigenous knowledge to reduce STBBIs in Indigenous communities; (2) support communities, investigators, and trainees through mentorship programs, Learning Institutes, writing retreats, and conference participation; and (3) to focus on interventions and the use of knowledge produced in research to inform health policy and programs. Over five years that the Feast Centre will operate, it is expected: (1) Funding up to (15) research development and pilot projects; (2) Strengthened existing and support the creation of new research partnerships; (3) Attracting, training and mentoring outstanding Indigenous researchers across diverse disciplines, career stages and communities; (4) Sharing research and the new knowledge produced through innovative prevention of STBBIs; and (5) Increasing collaborations across disciplines and regions with national and international Indigenous and allied research partners, community organizations, policy advisory bodies, and Indigenous community stakeholder groups.