afnigc

The Alberta First Nation Information Governance Centre
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Protecting Our Knowledge

   Telling Our Stories       

Strengthening Our Communities

What We Do

Information Governance

At Alberta FNIGC, we’re leading the charge in data governance for First Nations communities with our innovative cloud platform and secure servers. Our platform not only provides a reliable solution for storing valuable data but also ensures that First Nations maintain control and sovereignty over their information. With a focus on OCAP® principles, we empower communities to make informed decisions and drive development initiatives. By combining cutting-edge technology with a commitment to Indigenous sovereignty, we’re revolutionizing data management and fostering community-driven progress.

Our Research

At Alberta FNIGC, we actively engage in research projects that uphold the principles of Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession (OCAP®), ensuring that First Nation’s rights and perspectives are respected throughout the process. Our participation extends beyond mere involvement – we take a leadership role in shaping research initiatives that directly benefit our communities.

From the inception of a project to its implementation and dissemination of findings, we work closely with partners to ensure that First Nations’ voices are heard and valued. Our expertise in ethical research practices, data governance, and community engagement allows us to contribute meaningfully to projects that address pressing issues facing our communities.

First Nation Knowledge Gathering 

The National First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) collects two national knowledge-gathering First Nations surveys: the First Nations Regional Health Survey (FNRHS or RHS) and the newly developed First Nations Social Survey (FNRSS or RSS).  Each survey happens every five (5) years, with a two and a half years gap between surveys. The information collected from the RHS and RSS helps First Nations communities, organizations, and all levels of government develop and support programs and policies aiming to improve the well-being of First Nations families living on reserve and in northern communities. The RHS and RSS are surveys by First Nations people for First Nations people. 

Both surveys are being carried out by the First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) in collaboration with its Regional Partners.

First Nations Regional Health Survey (FNRHS or RHS) 

Wholistic Well-being

For more than 20 years the First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) has been collecting data in First Nations communities across Canada using an approach built on an inherent respect for data sovereignty as embodied by the First Nations principles of OCAP®.

The First Nations Regional Health Survey (FNRHS, or RHS) is the first, and only, national First Nations health survey which collects wide-ranging information about First Nations people living on reserve and in northern communities based on Western and Traditional understandings of health and well-being. The RHS knowledge gathering is usually scheduled to happen every five (5) years, pending favourable environmental conditions. It is a respectful, one-on-one approach to data collection that is at the core of FNIGC’s survey work in First Nations communities, and it has helped to set FNIGC apart as the premier source of information about First Nations people living on reserve and in northern communities across Canada.

Alberta FNIGC is currently preparing for deployment of the RHS – Phase 4 Knowledge Gathering Survey.  If you are a First Nation who participated in the past or interested in participating in the future, please feel free to contact your Alberta FNIGC Regional Coordinator, Shannon Houle or RHS@afnigc.ca.

First Nations Social Survey (FNRSS or RSS) 

Family and Child-focused

In the past, the FNIGC would take a theme from the Regional Health Survey and conduct a smaller survey like the First Nations Early Childhood, Education and Employment Survey (FNREES), the First Nations Labour and Employment Development Survey (FNLED) and others to ensure First Nations were receiving data every two and a half years.

The RSS represents a continuation of previous work done by FNIGC and its regional partners. Building from the foundational work of the RHS, the FNREEES, and the FNLED, the RSS provides quality and credible information on the well-being of First Nations children and families on reserve and in northern communities. 

This newly standardized survey focuses on the well-being of First Nations children and families living on reserve and in northern communities and gathers First Nations driven data on social and economic indicators.  The RSS hopes to better understand the socioeconomic context and experiences of First Nations children and families. 

The RSS will be launched two and a half years after the RHS.  If you are a First Nation who participated in the past or interested in participating in the future, please feel free to contact your Alberta FNIGC Regional Coordinator, Shannon Houle. or at RSS@afnigc.ca.

First Nation’s Benefits of Participation:

  • Exercising Self-Determination
  • Exercising Sovereignty
  • Exercising OCAP® (Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession) Principles which is the Path to First Nation Information Governance
  • Evidence-Based Research Data helps in accessing funding
  • Facilitating Long Range Planning Initiatives
  • Supporting Nationhood Knowledge
  • Supporting First Nations as the first-choice Knowledge Gathering survey BY First Nations FOR First Nations
  • Focusing on child, adolescent, and adult demographics
  • Getting a clear view of specific wholistic health focuses in the following areas:
    • Health & well-being
    • Culture
    • Language
    • Housing and other infrastructure
    • Education
    • Employment (Western and Indigenous Roles)
    • Family
    • Intergenerational Trauma and Effects of Indian Residential Schools
    • Community Development
    • Other Social Determinants of Health, including recent epidemic COVID Effects…and more!
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Learning Management System

Our Learning Management System (LMS) at Alberta FNIGC is currently under construction and will be a comprehensive platform designed to empower leadership, healthcare providers, and community members alike with culturally relevant and impactful education. Through a user-friendly interface, our LMS offers a diverse range of courses, modules, and resources tailored to the unique needs of First Nations communities in Alberta. From guides and models on Cancer Prevention to cultural safety training to data sovereignty workshops, our LMS will provide accessible and engaging learning opportunities that promote holistic wellness and advance Indigenous-led data sovereignty initiatives. Stay tuned and join us on a journey of continuous learning and empowerment. 

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