Research with Indigenous Peoples and Communities

For several years now, we have been carrying out research initiatives with partners from Indigenous communities. These initiatives are driven by a commitment to: recognize the importance of Indigenous knowledge, support practices that respect cultural contexts, and contribute to sustainable change.

Indigenous Health Navigation

Although Indigenous people are overrepresented among the homeless population, their access to healthcare remains limited. Racism, mistrust, stigma, and culturally inappropriate care are all barriers faced by Indigenous people experiencing homelessness.

Indigenous navigators are people of Indigenous origins who, while not healthcare professionals, are responsible for helping Indigenous people navigate the complexities of the healthcare system. Their role is to create a culturally safe space and build trust in order to better understand people’s needs and the barriers they face in accessing care within the health care system. In this way, they help ensure appropriate care and facilitate the coordination of care.

Since 2018, Doctors of the World Canada’s Indigenous Healthcare Program has aimed to facilitate access to various health and social services for Indigenous people experiencing homelessness in Montreal. The Chair is collaborating with Médecins du Monde Canada’s team of Indigenous health navigators to document their approach. The goal is to highlight the key principles of their approach and their integration into the care team, in order to assist other organizations wishing to develop Indigenous navigation services.

Project partners: Doctors of the World

WEBINAR | Documenting Indigenous Navigation: Lessons from a Research Collaboration

Webinar hosted by the Research Chair on Reducing Social Inequalities in Health. Siméon, J., Desroches, OA. (2024). (in French)

This webinar explores how connections have developed among the teams and how research processes have been established in line with each team’s respective objectives.

Research with Indigenous Youth and Communities

Partnering with Indigenous communities requires learning to listen in a different way, creating spaces for genuine dialogue, and jointly developing projects that respect the realities and priorities of these communities. It means entering into a dynamic and human relationship, rooted in respect for knowledge, territories, and human connections.

Project partners : ACCESS/ACCÈS

WEBINAR | Building Meaningful Relationships with Indigenous Communities

Michel Duval and Thérèse Niquay formed a genuine friendship, based on dialogue and mutual respect, when they began working on an ACCESS-funded research project: Promoting Inclusive Youth-Led Research: Participatory Action Research. (2025)