I-HeLTI News & Updates

Collaborating Centre 

News:

Better Beginnings Workshop: The Collaborating Centre participated in the Better Beginnings workshop at the Alt Hotel University District. Along with about 32 Alberta-based pregnancy cohorts, the delegates from the collaborating center participated in open discussions around several related projects, community engagement strategies and data management. The I-HeLTI team from Maskwacis also provided an overview of the project and updates.  

Meeting with New Scientific Director CIHR: A strategic meeting was held with the Scientific Director of the CIHR Institue of Indigenous Peoples health (IIPH) to connect on the progress of the research and discuss future directions for the I-HeLTI project. This gathering supported the relationship building within the team and the CIHR team, reinforcing I-HeLTI’s commitment to national collaboration and Indigenous partnership. Read more: CIHR IRSC March 25, 2025 Newsletter 

Indigenous Data Sovereignty: Data Sovereignty made it to daytime television as Dr. Vanessa Watts, Assistant Professor in the McMaster’s department of sociology and Indigenous Studies, sat down with the ladies of The Social on CTV to share what Indigenous Data Sovereignty is and why it’s important. Watch the segment here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtWlCHn5Pv0 

Events: 

Implementation Science Discussion Groups are back!

Once a month, the Office of Spread and Scale (OSS) hosts an online discussion group that provides an opportunity for people to discuss a key topic or paper with peers and experts in the field of implementation science. No experience or expertise in implementation science is necessary as we will always have a place for people who are new to the field! In May, Dr. Zoe Saldana will explain why it’s important to consider the real-world costs of putting new treatments into practice so they can be used fairly and widely. For our June session, Dr. Noah Ivers will share key findings from a review of 140 studies that explore how audit and feedback can improve healthcare. Hope to see you there! For more details on the June session and to register, please click here.

DOHaD 13th World Congress in September 2025: The 13th World Congress of the International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD), to be held from September 7th to 10th, 2025, in the vibrant city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Learn more 

Institute of Indigenous Peoples Health National Think Tank: The institute is pleased to be hosting a National Think Tank this fall, intended to facilitate discussions, promote knowledge sharing and establish Indigenous health research priorities. October 1-2, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario. More info will be provided in the coming months. 

Upcoming Webinar for National Indigenous History Month 2025  

In recognition of National Indigenous History Month, CIHR, the Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research National Collaborating Centre, and the Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health are hosting a webinar featuring Indigenous research across the country to highlight its impact on community health, resilience, and self-determination. June 25 | 2:00 to 3:30 pm (EDT) | Live webcast (Zoom) 

Send us your news! If you have stories that you would like to share, please send us an e-mail at reception@afnigc.ca 

Learning and Training Opportunities: 

The Evaluation Capacity Network: Indigenous –Informed Logic Models/theories of Change: The webinar discusses the differences between Western logic models/theories of change vs. Indigenous ones, and how to incorporate the latter into your own programming. The guest speaker highlights differences such as taking a strengths-based approach that prioritizes the restoration of balance within communities, community relationships, collective well-being, connection to land, community-led action and decision-making, and cultural revitalization.  

Send us your training opportunities! If you have any training that will assist our researchers, please send us an e-mail at reception@afnigc.ca