An international collaboration led by Dr. Kue Young and based at ICHR, CircHOB is an international collaborative health information system, involved in systematic, standardized, and consistent data collection and analysis. In addition to aggregating online and print resources, CircHOB is population-based, and will continue to produce data for all northern regions in all circumpolar countries. It will be a key component of the ICHR Data Centre in spring 2011.

CircHOB’s purpose is to monitor trends and patterns in health status, health determinants, and health care, provides qualitative and quantitative evidence for planning and evaluation of health programs and services. It will be on-going and sustainable with periodic updates.

As the Observatory develops, please return to browse our growing catalogue of online and print resources as well as other data tools. Current content includes spreadsheets covering population, birth, mortality, and disease data as well as their interactive visualizations using the fantastic software package, StatPlanet.

Deadline: Friday, July 30, 2010

The Native Women’s Association of Canada coordinates the Helen Bassett Commemorative Student Award in the amount of $1,000, which is awarded to four young Aboriginal women in Canada pursuing their post secondary studies. The Helen Bassett Commemorative Student Award is given to Aboriginal women under the age of thirty demonstrating financial need and community involvement with a goal to contribute either to the social, legal, or economic well-being of Aboriginal women. The application can be accessed at the following link:

www.nwac.ca/nwac-coordinates-helen-bassett-commemorative-student-award

The deadline to apply is July 30, 2010. Eligibility requirements include the following;

• Pursuing post-secondary studies, priority is given to those pursuing a law career;
• Under the age of 31;
• Demonstrated a commitment to improving the situation of Aboriginal Women in Canada;
• Submission of a brief essay (1-2 pages).

For more information, contact:

Lacey Whiteduck
National Youth Coordinator
Native Women’s Association of Canada
1 Nicholas Street, 9th Floor, Ottawa ON K1N 7B7
t: 613.722.3033 x 238 or tf: 1.800.461.4043
f: 613.722.7687
www.nwac.ca

This position is attached to the Department for Archeology and Social Anthropology (IAS). The theme for the position is the anthropology of identity with focus on interethnic articulations and interactions in Northern Russia. The successful candidate will integrate their topic with the on-going research in one or more themes in the Department such as indigeneity, northern resource management, urban and rural forms of identity, or the ethnohistory of indigenous peoples in Russia. For the purposes of this application ‘Northern Russia’ is defined broadly to include not only the North of European Russia but also both the tundra and taiga areas of Siberia. The committee will give preference to candidates who can show a link between their research and one of two current field projects underway in the Department concerning Russia: the project ‘Kola Saami Herders in Post-Soviet Society: Ethnopolitics in Urban and Tundra Spaces’ directed by Prof. Trond Thuen or the research with taiga hunters and reindeer herders in Zabaikal’e as part of the ‘Home, Hearth and Household’ Project directed by Dr. David Anderson.

Application deadline: Wednesday, 1 September 2010.

Complete details are available at:
http://www.jobbnorge.no/job.aspx?jobid=67845.

For any questions concerning the topic, salary, or facilities at Tromsø, or the application procedures, please contact:

David Anderson
Email: David.Anderson@uit.no

NAMHR is holding its Annual Summer School in Indigenous Mental Health Research on August 16 to 20, 2010. The preliminary workshop agenda includes:

• An overview of Indigenous Mental Health Research
• Community-Based Participatory Research
• Creativity and Innovation in Ethnographic Method and Practice: Moving Healing into the Reach of Aboriginal Youth Through Arts-Based Initiatives
• Developing and Writing a Grant Proposal
• Ethics in Research
• Qualitative Data Analysis
• Substance Abuse and Gambling

Our summer school is open to graduate students, professionals and others interested in developing their knowledge and skills in Aboriginal mental health research methods and methodologies.

The fee to attend is $100 ($50 for NAMHR affiliates and students). Travel and expenses are not included.

Registration due: Friday, August 6, 2010

Institute of Community and Family Psychiatry
4333 Cote Ste Catherine Road
MONTREAL, QC H3T 1E4

Download and print the application form to register. An overview of the program is also available.

For more information, visit the NAMHR website.

Incorporated in 2005 as a non-profit under the Northwest Territories Societies Act, ICHR maintains its central office in Yellowknife, with a nodal office in Inuvik. A board of directors composed of representatives of Métis, First Nations, Inuit/Inuvialuit, and Non-Aboriginal communities drawn from different regions and diverse backgrounds determines overall policies and strategic directions for the institute. The institute is under the overall direction of an Executive and Scientific Director supervising a research staff and an administrative staff. The four strategic focus areas include developing core supports for institute activities, development of policies and partnerships, educating a cadre of northern researchers, and supporting northern-based health research program development.

If interested in serving on the ICHR board, please send a cover letter and CV that includes relevant expertise, experience, and/or employment, interest in the organization, areas in which one can contribute, and other volunteer commitments to the address below:

Institute for Circumpolar Health Research
PO Box 11050
3502 Raccine Road
Yellowknife, NT X1A 3X7
Fax: (867) 873-9338
Attention: Susan Chatwood, Director of Communications & Technology
Email: susan.chatwood@ichr.ca

Key research projects have been funded to explore and document the delivery of health services in the NWT including issues related to access to care, implementation of asynchronous solutions, service delivery models, and optimization of roles. The research associate will participate in all aspects of these projects including conducting original research and analysis, managing research teams, producing reports, communicating with steering committees, and assisting with administrative duties.

This two-year term position will be based at the Institute for Circumpolar Health Research in Yellowknife, with the possibility of renewal based on project funding.

Responsibilities for Research Associate in Health Systems Research

Research and Analysis

• Participate in original qualitative and quantitative research relating to health services delivery research program.
• Ability to carry out and oversee all aspects of research implementation including proposal writing, steering committee development, project management, data collection, analysis and write up.
• Prepare briefs for partners and knowledge users, papers, reports, journal articles.
• Dedication to support health research capacity building in northern jurisdictions and assist with required administrative activities.

Project Management

• Manage projects and facilitate team communications.
• Manage timelines and deliverables; prepares status reports and other related documents.
• Prepare presentations as required.
• Work within existing health services delivery research team towards the development of a northern research program.

Qualifications

• Masters or PhD in field that enables activities in Health Services Delivery research program. Experience with mixed methodologies and knowledge synthesis and dissemination or desire to acquire skills with institute support is required.
• It is the responsibility of the incumbent to maintain his/her standing with academic/professional organizations.
• Proven analytical and problem solving skills.
• Proven ability to write succinctly and well for both academic and non-academic audiences.
• Proven ability to take initiative, analyze and prioritize assignments, and work both independently and in a team.
• Excellent communication/people skills.
• Flexibility about the projects being researched.
• Understanding of northern jurisdictions as they apply to health service delivery.

Computer Skills

• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office applications, specifically Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook, and MS Project.
• Proficient using social media, networking and collaboration tools.

Compensation

• ICHR seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation based on education and experience.

Application Process

• Interested applicants should send a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and names of two professional references.
• Guidelines for the hiring of this position provide direction for preference to Aboriginal candidates who meet the work and education requirements. Equivalencies will be considered.

Please email these items to susan.chatwood@ichr.ca. Only complete applications will be reviewed. Application deadline is July 28, 2010.

Thank you to all candidates for applying, only those potentially suitable will contacted for an interview.

About ICHR

The Institute for Circumpolar Health Research is an independent research organization located in the Canadian North devoted to health research relevant to the circumpolar regions and their people.

Our vision is: Building on the strengths and knowledge of all cultures to achieve health. Our mission is: Fostering partnerships for the development of northern health knowledge through research, facilitation, education and knowledge synthesis.

ICHR is a non-profit organization incorporated under the Northwest Territories Societies Act. Our Board of Directors is comprised of committed northerners from different regions with diverse expertise and experience. The board determines overall policies and strategic directions for the Institute. The Institute is under the overall direction of an Executive and Scientific Director supervising a research staff and an administrative staff. An International Scientific Advisory Council consisting of eminent circumpolar health scientists provides strategic advice to the Director.

The team at ICHR is committed to working with northern partners and building northern based research programs which respond to and meet needs of our populations.

Visit our website for more information: http://www.ichr.ca

Some changes were good, but others were devastating

Drugs and alcohol and the social damage caused by their abuse affects “all of us,” Edward Itta, mayor of Alaska’s North Slope Borough, told Inuit delegates during a June 30 discussion of health and well-being at the Inuit Circumpolar Council general assembly in Nuuk.

Removal of children from their families, language loss, and the introduction of western institutions and nuclear family housing have affected the health and well-being of Inuit around the circumpolar world, said Edna McLean, the president emeritus of the Ilisagvik College in Barrow, Alaska.

“Some changes were good, but others were devastating, like the abuse of drugs and alcohol and the loss of intergenerational communication,” said McLean.

In Chukotka, many of the region’s Inuit families are caught in a vicious cycle of poverty, dependence and alcohol abuse, Elvira Tyunikova of Chukotka said.

But ICC has a plan to deal with Inuit health and social problems, said Nunavik’s Minnie Grey, a member of ICC-Canada’s health committee. [continue to article]

An international conference on women’s issues called Women’s Worlds 2011 (WW 2011) is happening from 3-7 July next year in Ottawa-Gatineau.

WW 2011 wants to reach out and support Aboriginal women, Elders, and youth to participate in this exciting event. Why? Because we value the non-tokenistic involvement of Aboriginal/Indigenous women.

If you are a part of a grassroots women’s project or group (even if it’s made up of just 3-4 women) and if you want a forum to discuss and highlight Aboriginal women’s issues in Canada, then your involvement is welcome at this event.

WW 2011 is prepared to provide you and the members of your group with a small grant to help with expenses to attend. To be considered for the grant, use this easy online form to submit a brief description of your ideas: http://womensworlds.ca/expression-interest

You can also request a paper application form or get help filling it out by phoning 1-877-868-8292, extension 6600.

Please share this invitation with your community, friends and networks. WW 2011 is committed to having Aboriginal women participate at this historic event.

The deadline for these forms is 15 July 2010.

Signed,

The WW 2011 Aboriginal Women’s Leadership Circle

circle@womensworlds.ca

Background

Women’s Worlds 2011 is an international congress happening in Ottawa-Gatineau from 3-7 July of next year. Around 2000 women and female youth are expected to attend. Special effort is being made to ensure that Indigenous women from around the world and their issues are a major part of the event.

A small side project called “Women Build Up to the Congress” has been set up to help women from local communities across Canada to participate.

This project is intended to highlight the work and achievements of grassroots Canadian women’s organizations – especially Aboriginal women – to the international audience at WW 2011. This can be done through workshops, presentations, discussion groups, or in other ways.

At six regional meetings between February and April 2010, women discussed the priority issues of their region and how women’s groups are dealing with those —> this is the “Participation Plan” (PP).

The Participation Plans contain ideas about the most pressing issues are facing women in different parts of Canada. You may not have attended one of these regional meetings, but you are still welcome to apply for a grant through this project. We know you are involved with important projects in your community that women around the world should hear about.

The six regional networks are: BC-Yukon, Prairies, Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic/Acadian, North.

Deadline for submissions: August 15, 2010

A full description of this opportunity is available here.

About the TRC’s Research Mandate

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada was established under the terms of the 2007 Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement. The TRC is mandated to:

• produce a report including recommendations to the government of Canada concerning the residential school system and experience including: the history, purpose, operation and supervision of the residential school system, the effect and consequences of the residential school system (including systemic harms, intergenerational consequences and the impact on human dignity) and the ongoing legacy of the residential schools;
• guide a process of reconciliation involving former First Nations, Inuit and Métis students, their families and communities, religious entities, former school employees, government, and non‐Aboriginal Canadians generally;
• promote awareness and public education of Canadians about the history and legacy of the Indian residential school system;
• employ interdisciplinary, social sciences, historical, oral traditional and archival methodologies in undertaking its research;
• recognize the significance of Aboriginal oral and legal traditions in its activities.

Under the direction of Commissioners, the TRC Research Unit has designed a comprehensive research agenda that addresses both the truth‐telling and reconciliationfostering components of the Commission’s mandate. The research agenda incorporates input from various consultations undertaken with residential school survivor groups, multiparty representatives, national and international academics, experts and practitioners.

Research will be carried out by Commission staff, research contracts with various subject experts, community‐based and institutional research partnerships, and through a series of conferences, symposiums and workshops organized by or in cooperation with the Commission. The new body of research generated may be published by the TRC in a variety of formats, including in scholarly journals, occasional papers and conference reports.

This summer, Actua will be delivering hands-on, science, engineering and technology summer camps to youth in communities across Canada including remote communities in Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon Territory, and is looking for opportunities to involve CIHR researchers as volunteer mentors.

Each mentor will give a short, informal presentation on his/her work and career path in order to inspire and educate youth about the field of health research. After the presentation, the mentor will participate in a series of hands-on science activities with the participants. This event would be a wonderful opportunity for you to share your excitement about your field and encourage youth to pursue rewarding careers in health research.

If you are interested in participating as a mentor this summer, please go to http://mentors.actua.ca/en/home. There you will be asked to set up a login account with Actua, and you will be prompted to fill in a form providing some information about your background, your availability and locations you could possibly be placed.

This is a NEW mentor portal. Please note, that even if you have already registered as a mentor in the past with Actua, you should visit the portal and reload your information. This way, Actua will have a new and updated database of all available mentors.

While face-to-face mentor events are best, we are able to accommodate some mentor events in the North by video-conferencing. These can also be a great way to expose youth to the amazing ways that technology can help the medical field. Most northern communities are equipped with tele-health video conferencing facilities and Actua has excellent relations with the communities and could potentially have access to the facilities. So, if you are unable to do a face-to-face mentor event in a remote Northern community, but have access to a teleconferencing unit, please consider a remote mentor experience!

Once you have signed up to be a mentor, there are many resources available to help you plan for the event. For example, Actua, with support from CIHR, has developed Mentoring 101, a manual filled with tips and suggestions for making your presentation age-appropriate and engaging for your audience. The manual will be provided to you by Actua.

If you have any questions about the program, please contact Actua (mentors@actua.ca) with the subject line: Synapse Mentoring. For more information about Actua, please visit http://www.actua.ca.