Connecting to the Good Life through outdoor adventure leadership experiences designed for Indigenous youth |
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| Authors: | Stephen D Ritchie Mary Jo Wabano Rita G Corbiere Brenda M Restoule Keith C Russell Nancy L Young |
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| Institution: | 1. School of Human Kinetics and Evaluating Children’s Health Outcomes Research Centre, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON, Canada P3E 2C6sritchie@laurentian.ca;3. Nahndahweh Tchigehgamig Wikwemikong Health Centre, P.O. Box 101, 16A Complex Drive, Wikwemikong, ON, Canada P0P 2J0;4. Community Elder, P.O. Box 92, 20 Wabanosse Street, Wikwemikong, ON, Canada P0P 2J0;5. Native Mental Health Association of Canada, 2027 Greenwood Drive, Sudbury, ON, Canada P3B 0A6;6. Department of Physical Education, Health and Recreation, Western Washington University, Old Carver 6 MS 9067, Bellingham, WA 98225-9067, USA;7. School of Rural and Northern Health and Evaluating Children’s Health Outcomes Research Centre, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON, Canada P3E 2C6 |
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| Abstract: | Indigenous voices are largely silent in the outdoor education and adventure therapy literature. The purpose of this research collaboration was to understand how a 10-day outdoor adventure leadership experience (OALE) may promote resilience and well-being for Indigenous youth through their participation in the program. The process was examined through a community-based participatory research project that sought insight from the perspectives of one First Nations community in Canada. The OALE was implemented with six different groups for a total of 43 youth participants (ages 11.9–18.7 years) from Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve in northeastern Ontario. Field data were collected from multiple sources including participant interviews, journals, focus groups, and talking circles. Using a critical ethnographic lens, we analyzed the data inductively to understand how the OALE promoted resilience and well-being. We listened to Indigenous voices, adhered to principles of Indigenous coding for thematic content and respected Indigenous ways of knowing for interpreting results. The process of connecting to the Good Life (Anishinaabe Bimaadziwin) or waking up (nsidwaaswok) to the Good Life emerged as the dominant theme. Connecting to the Good Life may offer a simple yet compelling way to understand the net impact of the OALE. |
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| Keywords: | outdoor education adventure therapy community-based participatory research expedition ethnography indigenous health holistic health |
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