Appendix D Theme 6 Terms of Reference

Appendix D Theme 6 Terms of Reference

Purpose

As a research theme area of the Ontario Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research (ON NEIHR), the Theme 6 Policy and Knowledge Translation Group’s purpose is to explore current Indigenous knowledges and practices in government policy change and create new innovations to provide guidance to Indigenous researchers, community organizations, and settler governments in effective community-driven policy change and implementation.

Objectives

The research theme group will § Create an Indigenous Policy and Knowledge Translation Strategy, including policy engagement tool kits for both organizations/researchers and policymakers.

§ Create tools (such as publications, trainings, events, etc.) based in culture and spirituality to support on-going policy change work for Indigenous community organizations and researchers.

• Use a cultural safety framework and distinct Indigenous spiritual and cultural knowledges in all collaborations, initiatives, and outputs.

• Ensure all policy work is holistic in terms of focus on prevention and early intervention in mental health, while addressing intersections with other issues, such as child welfare modernization, poverty, addiction, violence against women, and more.

• Maintain accountability regarding action and implementation of initiatives, projects, and outputs to Indigenous communities, Elders, leaders, and youth, to ensure the work is based in community and cultural needs.

Membership (12 members)

1 ON NEIHR staff member § Roy Strebel 1 community partner member § Mark Atanasoff, NCFST 1 student research assistant § Sarah Ponton 2 government policy makers § Vacant § Vacant 7 ON NEIHR research team members

§ Elder Pauline Shirt, Collaborator (Theme Lead & Co-chair) § Suzanne Stewart, Principal Investigator (Theme Lead & Co-chair) § Jeffrey Schiffer, Co-Investigator (NCFST) § Henry Harder, Collaborator § Pam Hart, Collaborator (NWRCT) § Mikaela Gabriel, Collaborator § Janet Smylie, Co-Investigator

Reporting To

Ontario NEIHR Research Team and WBIIH Elder’s Council. Meeting minutes will be posted to the Ontario NEIHR website.

Meetings

The group will meet once per month for one hour. Regular meeting dates will be set by consensus of the group at the beginning of the calendar year.

Meeting will be organized and co-chaired by the Theme 6 Lead and the Elder.

Minutes will be taken by the student research assistant. Agendas will be created by the Theme Lead/co-chairs and sent to members in advance of each meeting, accompanied by minutes from the previous meeting.

Quorum

Quorum is required for meeting and decision making. Quorum is 50% of the membership plus 1.

Review

This term of reference is a living document and will be subject to revision at any time according to group needs.