'This is what's going to heal our kids': bringing the Sexy Health Carnival into Indigenous cultural gatherings.

The Sexy Health Carnival is a peer-developed Indigenous health initiative designed to provide culturally-relevant health information for Indigenous youth. The Carnival takes a strengths-based, holistic approach to address topics in fun and interactive ways. As part of the study described here, the Carnival was taken to 6 First Nations, 3 Métis, and 2 Inuit cultural gatherings in Canada. Due to complex histories of colonialism, bringing sexual health and harm reduction programming to cultural gatherings remains controversial. Interviews were conducted with 10 Carnival leaders. Transcripts were transcribed verbatim and inductively coded using NVivo. There was strong support for bringing the Carnival into cultural spaces because (a) teachings on health, sexuality, and reproduction are sacred and belong in cultural spaces, (b) doing so was requested by the communities themselves, (c) the Carnival holds potential to challenge harmful stigma, and (d) the Carnival supported a peer-led initiative. Facilitators also described several challenges encountered including (a) resistance to discussing stigmatised subjects, (b) issues of safety and (c) the intensive physical and emotional demands of the Carnival's implementation. The Carnival aids in re-imagining what culturally safe health promotion can look like when it is led by and for Indigenous youth. While the Carnival contributes to Indigenous cultural resilience and resurgence, further support is needed to enhance sustainably.

Meeting Indigenous youth where they are at: knowing and doing with 2SLGBTTQQIA and gender non-conforming Indigenous youth: a qualitative case study.

BACKGROUND: Research carried out in partnership with Indigenous youth at The Native Youth Sexual Health Network (NYSHN) demonstrates that Indigenous youth can (and do) develop and implement public health interventions amongst their peers and within their communities, when supported by non-youth allies and mentors. METHODS: Together, NYSHN and Well Living House researchers co-designed a qualitative case study to demonstrate and document how Indigenous youth can and do practice their own form of public health implementation research (PHIR) in the realm of mental health promotion for 2SLGBTTQQIA and Gender Non-Conforming Indigenous youth. Academic and Indigenous youth researchers were: participant observers; conducted a focus group; and designed and implemented an online survey with Indigenous youth project participants. Governance, intellectual property, financial terms and respective academic and NYSHN roles and responsibilities were negotiated using a customized community research agreement. The data were thematically analyzed using a critical decolonizing lens that recognizes the historic and ongoing marginalization of Indigenous peoples while also highlighting the unique and diverse strengths of Indigenous communities' knowledge and practice in maintaining their health and wellbeing. RESULTS: Analysis revealed how colonialism and intergenerational trauma have impacted Indigenous youth identity and the value of self-determination as it relates to their identity, their relationships, health and wellbeing. We also learned how knowing and doing about and for Indigenous youth needs to be youth determined - 'nothing about us, without us' -- yet also supported by allies. Finally, our analysis shares some promising practices in knowing and doing for and with Indigenous youth. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a reminder of the need to centre Indigenous youth throughout PHIR in order to realize sustainable benefit from research, services and programming. It emphasizes the need to recognize Indigenous youth as leaders and partners in these initiatives, support their efforts to self-determine, compensate them as partners, and prioritize Indigenous youth-determined frameworks and accountability mechanisms.