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New Respect Online Cultural Safety Program (NRCS)/Oshki N’naadendimowin

Cultural safety (CS) is a growing field that aims to improve the relations between non-Indigenous and Indigenous people. This project will identify the best ways to use online platforms to deliver effective, Indigenous-led cultural safety content to professionals and students in the fields of health, education, and social services using Indigenous research methods.

Many organizations and governments have implemented Indigenous cultural safety training for their staff since the release of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Final Report with 94 Calls to Action in 2015. Dr. Mashford-Pringle heard the Thunder Bay Police Chief (2019) state that the force could not afford to have all police officers and staff take cultural safety training to improve relations with Indigenous Peoples in Thunder Bay. This was the impetus for creating the New Respect Online Cultural Safety Program.

What is Cultural Safety?

When a person (educator, practitioner, or professional) can communicate competently and with an understanding of socio-political history, demonstrates how their 3Ps (power, privilege and positionality) biases their worldview, evaluates power imbalances and institutional and systemic racism, and practices active listening and culturally responsive communication with First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples. This requires people to act, think, speak, reflect and know there are multiple ways of knowing, being and doing while they work within westernized/colonized spaces using the dominant worldview.

NRCS program seeks to address systemic anti-Indigenous racism through 24 hours of online content using asynchronous videos, readings, quizzes and activities that are self-directed and prompt the participant to be critically self-reflect throughout the course and begin their awareness of connection to and use of land and All My Relations/All In Creation. Particpants are expected to enhance their (a) culturally responsive communication skills; (b) ability to create effective collaboration; and (c) respectful and reciprocal Indigenous community engagement.

Through a pilot of the program at the University of Toronto in four faculties, the program is currently under revisions. If you are interested in the New Respect Cultural Safety Program, please email: nrcs.dlsph@utoronto.ca or watch for updates here or https://www.phesc.ca/indigenous