Andrew Kmetic, University of Victoria

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NEARBC

• Andrew Kmetic, University of Victoria
• Jeff Reading, University of Victoria
• Robynne Edgar, NEARBC

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NEARBC

• Funded by the Michael Smith Foundation for Health
  Research
• Eight Health of Populations Networks
• Four years of funding

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Other MSFHR HoPNs

• BC Child and Youth Health Research Network
• BC Environmental and Occupational Health Research
  Network
• BC Mental Health and Addictions Research Network
• BC Network for Aging Research
• BC Rural and Remote Health Research Network
• Disabilities Health Research Network
• Network Environments for Aboriginal Research BC
• Womens Health Research Network

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Goals and Objectives

• The strategic focus of NEARBC is to increase
  capacity in Aboriginal health research in BC
• To facilitate network building through
  partnerships and collaboration in Aboriginal
  health research between researchers and
  communities.
• To promote and facilitate excellent research
  which is culturally appropriate, community based
  where possible and appropriate, and which leads
  to tangible health benefits for Aboriginal
  populations in BC and elsewhere.
• To promote information sharing, by circulating
  and distributing research findings on Aboriginal
  health to communities, health and service
  providers, government, the research community,
  and educational institutions.
• To increase funding within Aboriginal health
  research by successfully winning national and
  international funding competitions.
• To ensure community consultation and
  participation as a critical component of all
  future Aboriginal health research in BC.
• To develop a sustainable and inclusive network
  that will continue to evolve overtime.

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NEARBCORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Oversight Committee
Advisory Committee
Co-Leaders
Program Manager
UBC Network Node
UNBC Network Node
UVIC Network Node
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Node Leadership Coordination

• Vancouver Island - UVIC Node
• Node Leader - Dr. Chris Lalonde, Associate
  Professor, Psychology, UVic
• Node Coordinator - Velten Pilger
• Southern BC - UBC Node
• Node Leader - Dr. Eduardo Jovel, Director,
  Institute for Aboriginal Health, UBC
• Node Coordinator - Elizabeth Towers
• Northern BC - UNBC Node
• Node Leader - Margo Greenwood, Executive
  Director, National Collaborating Centre for
  Aboriginal Health Faculty of Education,
  University of Northern BC
• Node Coordinator - Julia Morris

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University of Northern British Columbia Prince
George, BC
University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC
University of Victoria Victoria, BC
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NEARBC

• Connecting researchers, Aboriginal and other
  community members, government, provincial health
  authorities and students
• Website (NEARBC and nodes)
• Weekly e-news
• Members Forum
• Searchable Members Database

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NEARBC Membership

• June 2006 110 Members
• December 2006 272 Members
• February 2007 340 Members
• May 2007 450 Members

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Membership by Organizational Affiliation
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NEARBC Website Activity
April 2006 Launch of website September
Recruitment of members commenced October 2006
Launch of e-news December 2006 Change of
website host - stats unavailable
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Collaboration and Partnerships

• VIHA
• The UVic node is working with the Aboriginal
  Services manager at VIHA to create a researchers
  database for remote Aboriginal communities on
  Vancouver Island
• Northern Health Authority
• The UNBC node of NEARBC is worked with the
  Northern Health Authority to organize the 2007
  Northern Aboriginal Research Gathering

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Collaboration and Partnerships

• The UNBC node of NEARBC has developed
  relationships with these groups and identified
  them as 2007/08 partners
• The Centre of Excellence for Children and
  Adolescents with Special Needs
• UNBC Taskforce on Substance Abuse
• The National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal
  Health and BC Initiatives at UNBC
• Aboriginal Communities and First Nations
• Klahoose, Namgis, Tsawataineuk,
  Kwicksutaineuk-Ah, Kwaw-Amish, Gwawaenuk,
  Gwa-Sala Nakwaxdaxw, Kwakuitl, Quatsino and Nu
  chal nulth

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Community Workshop

• UVIC Node Reframing and Reclaiming Research
  Engaging First Nations Communities in Research
• Brought together researchers, health
  professionals and community members in effort to
  facilitate communication
• Need for online health data
• Placed on website, expand to include abstracts

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Seed Grants

• Typically seed grants lt 5,000
• Assist in preparing larger grant proposals
• Natural Resources, Food and Health and the
  Nuu-cha-nulth First Nation.
• to address a perceived disconnection from
  traditional food resource usage patterns within
  First Nations communities, a move to less
  nutritious foods and less active lifestyles, and
  the health consequences

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Travel Grant - Darlene Sanderson

• 6th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on
  Indigenous Peoples Issues - Land, Territories and
  Natural Resources
• Water is Sacred, Water is Life, Water is
  Fundamental Planning A World Indigenous Forum on
  Water and Peace

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Activities in 2007/08

• Partnered workshops
• community-based research
• grant writing skills
• community engagement
• research ethics, Aboriginal research
  methodologies, transforming Indigenous knowledge,
  advancing Aboriginal health research ethics and
  intellectual property
• Partnered conferences
• Annual Aboriginal health research gathering
• Members advisory group

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NEARBC Future Plans

• Collaboration and Partnerships
• Capacity Building
• KT
• External Evaluation Formative and Summative