Grant: Team Grant : Pathways Implementation Research Teams - Component 3

Type 2 diabetes and obesity disproportionately affect Indigenous children in Canada. The inequities in diabetes and obesity can be traced back to several forms of transgenerational trauma, stress and adversity that accompanies settler-led cultural genocide and on-going institutional racism that Indigenous children face. Strengths-based, resilience, centred programs are therefore needed to overcome these inequities. With the support of Indigenous youth in Manitoba, we developed a peer-based mentoring program, centred on an Indigenous model of resilience; Dr.Martin Brokenleg's Circle of Courage, called the Indigenous Youth Mentorship Program (IYMP). During the last 2 years as a Pathways 2 Implementation Research Team we expanded from 5 communities in Manitoba and to 13 communities across 4 provinces in Canada. Using a participatory action model, guided by the teachings of elders, knowledge keepers and youth on our team, we will build on the successes of the past 2 years to (1) explore a novel pathway through which IYMP can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in youth, through the Indigenous concept of Mino-pimatisiwin/bimaadiziwin "living in a god way", (2) deepen the reach of IYMP within existing communities, (3) explore relational models of rippling IYMP to new communities, and (4) study the process of moving IYMP from a university-based program to a sustainable community-led organization. This information will provide information and infrastructure to support rippling of other wellness promoting community-based programs across Canada.