Two-year project to focus on physical activity, sport and recreation for Indigenous Peoples
February 2021
The National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health (NCCIH) is undertaking a two-year project focused on enhancing physical activity, recreation and sport opportunities for Indigenous Peoples, families, and communities. To support this work, the NCCIH received a $200,000 grant through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention - Multi-sectoral Partnerships program.
The NCCIH was selected as Champion of Partnerships, one of six Champion projects funded by PHAC’s Common Vision initiative, which is focused on increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary living in Canada. The NCCIH’s project will focus on developing cross-sector partnerships to guide collective planning in the promotion of physical activity, recreation and sport in all communities across Canada, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. The NCCIH will also work closely with the other Champion projects to collectively advance the Common Vision and support each Champion project in moving their work forward in relation to Indigenous Peoples in their respective initiatives.
“As Champion of Partnerships, we will seek to address critical gaps in this area pertaining to Indigenous Peoples and continue advancing relevant Calls to Action as articulated by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” said Dr. Margo Greenwood, Academic Leader, National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health. “We will strategically engage partners across multiple sectors including health, sport and education, as well as identify and amplify existing best practices."
“We will also address knowledge and practice gaps, as well as generate and share knowledge about how to increase physical activity participation, including culturally appropriate and culturally safe settings and community-identified priorities and innovations.”
Another key activity will be the development of culturally appropriate knowledge tools, including webinars and podcasts, to help raise awareness of the critical importance of physical activity and the Common Vision. Community-relevant resources will be developed for broad audiences including healthcare providers, educators, and Indigenous communities and will focus on a range of topics pertaining to physical activity such as traditional/cultural activities and their health benefits for Indigenous families and communities.
“In undertaking this work, it is critical we prioritize the voices, needs, experiences and aspirations of Indigenous Peoples,” added Greenwood. “Regular physical activity is an important part of long-term good health, and there has been limited investment in emphasizing Indigenous perspectives in recreational and sports-related program and policy development, evaluation and measurement and knowledge translation.”
Established in 2005 with funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada and hosted at the University of Northern British Columbia, the NCCIH is one of six National Collaborating Centres for Public Health which together promote and support evidence-informed decision-making in public health programs, policies and practice in Canada. The mandate of the NCCIH is to strengthen public health systems and support health equity for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.