Grant: Project Grant

**Navigating Diabetes Together: Eeyou Mentors' & Healthcare Workers' Stories** Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is rising rapidly among Canadian youth, striking First Nations communities hardest. Colonization's lasting wounds-disrupted access to lands, traditional foods, and cultural practices that sustained generations-have created intergenerational trauma and chronic disease vulnerability. Many First Nations youth and young adults face intense daily stress managing T2D, with profound impacts on physical health, mental wellness, and spiritual balance. Jonathan Linton (JL), an Eeyou young adult living with diabetes from Quebec's Eeyou Istchee, transformed his personal journey into community action. Through land-based healing activities-berry picking, hunting, healthy cooking, and walking-he supported over 30 youth, helping them rebuild connections to culture, body, community, and self for holistic wellness. In partnership with JL, CBHSSJB healthcare workers, and Eeyou peer mentors, we're centering *their voices as deliverers* through powerful video storytelling. Short videos, in-depth interviews, and sharing circles capture their raw experiences-the challenges overcome, successes celebrated, joys of connection, and practical supports needed to sustain this vital work. These authentic narratives reveal *how* peer mentorship transforms lives (and mentors themselves), what makes delivery effective and sustainable, and the relational wisdom needed for long-term impact. We'll co-create an impactful documentary and practical toolkit to empower other First Nations communities in building their own self-determined, culturally grounded diabetes programs. This CBHSSJB-led research honors Eeyou knowledge systems, relational accountability, and Indigenous self-determination-elevating deliverers' perspectives to strengthen community-led health solutions.