University collaborates with Native people on study

Page 7

Native people in the Treaty 7 area of southern Alberta are getting a say in how $85,000 will be put to use at the University of Lethbridge.

Russel Barsh, associate professor in Native American studies, was successful in acquiring a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. The funding was granted under a program designed to help small universities develop new research projects.

"One year ago, when the U of L was considering applying for the SSHRC grant ... I thought the one important thing that wasn't being done and that we should be doing was a research collaboration with the Native people in the province," said Barsh. "There was sufficient agreement on the importance of this and to give it a try."

Indeed, the council found the proposal so intriguing, it gave Barsh $10,000 more than he had requested. The result is a model never before seen in Canada: a co-operative effort between university personnel and Native people to determine what issues and concerns warrant being studied.

"This is really a national experiment as to where a university of professors and community leaders can form a joint research program that can become a self-perpetuating engine of useful research that can answer questions the community is raising and also be co-managed by community people."

To this end, two meetings with band councils and institutes serving Native needs were held in Lethbridge in early fall. From these meetings and more to be held before the end of the year, Barsh wants to prioritize a list of research projects.

Two-thirds of the $85,000 grant will be handed out to do research, whether it be in the form of stand alone grants or matching funding. The balance of the funds will be used toward "process building," said Barsh, "to bring people together from the campus and the community to build a collaborative decision-making process, to share information we do have, and to agree on what we urgently need to find out."

Possible research topics include what kinds of Aboriginal people live in Lethbridge; the relationship between money from the reserves spent in Lethbridge compared to the number of Native people employed by Lethbridge businesses; and the spiritual well-being of Native people who have attained socio-economic success.

Depending on the topic, this phase of the research project could see simple methodology developed to tackle the question raised or the actual gathering of data.

"I hope that by the end of three years, ongoing research projects will be underway," said Barsh.

After three years, these projects may receive further funding from the research council or from other sources.

The findings of the actual studies will be discussed with the interested groups annually.

"They will be co-owners of the findings," said Barsh. "Disseminating the data and interpretation should not be done by the researchers. We have to sit down with a knowledgeable cross-section of the community to interpret the data. 'Here's the data. What do you think it means?'"

While Treaty 7 and its constituent First Nations are the focus of this research collaboration, Barsh said the Blackfeet in Montana may be asked to participate. Also targeted will be First Nation organizations such as friendship centres and counselling services, as well as Metis locals.

Spearheading the project at the university level are the faculties of Native American studies, agriculture, sociology, geography, and health services.

The faculties of management, education, anthropology, political science and biology have also expressed interest.