HOW WAS RESEARCH CAPACITY BUILT THROUGH THE AAEDIRP? (2007 - 2011)
Building research capacity is one of the 4 AAEDIRP goals and is a part of all AAEDIRP activities. The AAEDIRP literature states, "research capacity in Aboriginal economic development is built with an emphasis on the hiring of Aboriginal staff; involving Aboriginal academics, students and community members and training Aboriginal researchers. Building research capacity also includes the knowledge and experience gained by non-Aboriginal researchers working with Aboriginal communities".
AAEDIRP Evaluation interview participants identified several beneficial outcomes of the AAEDIRP's approaches to building research capacity; specifically:
- All research partners are gaining a deeper appreciation about why it is important to build capacity among Aboriginal people, and about the value of research on Aboriginal economic development;
- Communities see value in AAEDIRP's long term vision;
- AAEDIRP has facilitated access to Aboriginal communities for researchers;
- AAEDIRP is addressing the lack of relevant, Atlantic Canada data on Aboriginal economic development;
- AAEDIRP has developed partnerships with universities and researchers at the institutional level;
- Universities bring status to the work being done;
- AAEDIRP has identified existing Atlantic Aboriginal researchers; and
- Through workshops and meetings, AAEDIRP facilitates networking among people conducting research for/with Aboriginal communities.
NUMBERS OF ABORIGINAL PEOPLE INVOLVED IN AAEDIRP RESEARCH
One measurable outcome of the research capacity built between 2007 - 2011 is that the AAEDIRP employed two Aboriginal staff members and contracted one Aboriginal lead researcher, four Aboriginal co-researchers and fifteen Aboriginal research assistants. As well, twenty-five Aboriginal people supported the research projects as Advisory Committee Members in their capacity as the leaders of the key Atlantic region Aboriginal organizations.
RESEARCH SKILLS DEVELOPED BY ABORIGINAL RESEARCHERS
Through participation in AAEDIRP projects and workshops, Aboriginal researchers develop their understanding of the project topics and strengthen their research skills and experience. This includes but is not limited to:
Writing, transcribing; interviewing; problem solving; critical analysis; literature searches and synthesis; data analyses; budgeting, verbal communication, listening skills for participation in group discussions and consensus decision making; facilitation; proposal writing, university and community-based ethics applications ; final report writing; and presenting
RESEARCH CAPACITY DEVELOPED BY NON-ABORIGINAL RESEARCHERS
Non-Aboriginal researchers are supported as they cultivate relationships with Aboriginal researchers and communities. Participatory research is used in our projects. This research methodology "enables a range of levels and types of community participation while ensuring shared power and decision-making. Such partnerships will help to ensure that research proceeds in a manner that is culturally sensitive, relevant, respectful, responsive, equitable and reciprocal, with regard to the understandings and benefits shared between the research partner(s) and Aboriginal community(ies)."[1]
Through participation in AAEDIRP research projects, non-Aboriginal researchers learn more about Aboriginal ways of knowing and Indigenous Knowledge that they may not have encountered during their formal education. The AAEDIRP also contributes to the education of non-Aboriginal researchers on the issues and methodologies of undertaking research on Aboriginal economic development.
Efforts at St. FX must be noted as researchers at St. FX responded to the AAEDIRP's call for building research capacity by forming the St. FX Indigenous Peoples Research Cluster (IPRC), in 2008. The IPRC brings together a group of university researchers who have broad interests in issues related to Indigenous Peoples in Atlantic Canada. This group considers itself to be first and foremost, an interdisciplinary learning community.
The IPRC believes in the process of educating both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities about the place of Indigenous knowledge and rights in all development endeavours. The IPRC also believes that community-university partnerships offer significant opportunities to develop the research and leadership capacity of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples who are interested in social issues related to Indigenous peoples. The IPRC subscribes to a holistic community-based approach to understanding and revitalizing how Indigenous people live their lives, an approach that builds upon their Indigenous knowledge and assets. The IPRC aims to practice participatory action research to learn from, inform and inspire Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in the ongoing process of decolonization. It is important to us to also work with communities in a collaborative way to implement our findings.
Dalhousie University also responded to AAEDIRP's call for this by forming an ad hoc Steering Group on Indigenous Peoples Research Engagement. (Unfortunately, this committee has been incommunicado for over a year.)
AAEDIRP SUPPORTS TO BUILD RESEARCH CAPACITY
AAEDIRP Staff and Committees provide support for the research projects in order to build research capacity for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers. This includes:
- Research design and follow up workshops
- Feedback on funding proposals
- Helping to locate Aboriginal academics, researchers and other experts
- Matching researchers and projects with expert Aboriginal Advisory Committees
- Providing direction on published literature and unpublished literature
- Providing contacts in Aboriginal communities and organizations
- Providing feedback from a leading Aboriginal academic on draft reports
- Editing of research reports
- Guidance on Aboriginal cultural protocols, language and processes
- Organizing regional dissemination workshops, conference presentations and workshops to follow up on research recommendations to improve policy and programming for Atlantic region Aboriginal communities
In 2010, to increase understanding of Traditional Knowledge in Atlantic region universities the AAEDIRP organized a speaker series called Building Bridges between Indigenous Knowledge and Universities at Dalhousie, UNB and Memorial University with Professor David Newhouse, Chair of Indigenous Studies at Trent University. Professor Newhouse presented The Good Mind Meets the Academy - Indigenous Knowledge at Trent University. Trent offers a Ph.D. in Indigenous Knowledge and their model includes Elders teaching as professors. This does not exist in Atlantic Canada. Local Aboriginal presenters and Elders opened the talks at each university.
Dalhousie University, October 25, 2010: Patricia Doyle-Bedwell, Director of the Transition Year Program, presented Opening the Door: Inclusion of Mi'kmaq Ways of Knowing in University Teaching.
University of New Brunswick, October 26, 2010: Gwen Bear, Elder in Residence at UNB, Grandmother Teachings.
Memorial University, October 27: Gregory Jeddore, Miawpukek First Nation Forestry Manager, along with Elders Noel Joe and John N. Jeddore presented on The Search for Indigenous Knowledge and Information by Miawpukek First Nation. The event was video conferenced to the College of the North Atlantic as well.
Video of Building Bridges between Indigenous Knowledge and Universities, APCFNC/Dalhousie University - Patricia Doyle-Bedwell and David Newhouse
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[1] The Canadian Institute of Health Research, The Canadian Institute of Health Research Guidelines for Health Research Involving Aboriginal People (Ottawa: Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2007), p. 3
