Grant: Dissemination Events - PA: First Nations, Inuit and Métis Health

The Centre for Aboriginal Health Research proposes to host its Third Annual Summer Institute in Aboriginal Health for May 6 to May 10, 2013. The institute will begin with an opening prayer from a distinguished Elder and acknowledgement of the traditional Coast and Straits Salish territory where the institute will be held. On the evening of May 6th, there will be a keynote presentation, a feast with traditional foods and performances by First Nations dancers, drummers and singers. These activities provide participants with an introduction to local First Nations culture and an opportunity to build professional networking capacity. Each morning, the institute focuses on dissemination of new knowledge from Aboriginal health research and projects. Guest speakers give presentations on their areas of expertise, covering a wide range of health topics. Each afternoon, participants are divided into groups. The groups remain the same day to day and each group is assigned two facilitators. The groups are guided through discussion of the morning's presentations, which fuels the development of each group's proposal for a community based research project or health promotion program. The group projects ensure participants comprehend the new knowledge presented by guest speakers and practice the process of knowledge translation to improve Aboriginal health. On the final day, each group presents their research or project proposal before a panel of Aboriginal health experts, who ask questions and provide feedback. Each group also takes a turn at critiquing another group's project. This final activity allows participants to exchange ideas, evaluate each other's knowledge translation processes and identify the new knowledge and skills they have developed. To encourage further knowledge dissemination, translation and capacity building in Aboriginal health, all presentation and project materials from the Summer Institute will also be available on the Centre website.