{"id":51993,"date":"2018-11-20T12:12:17","date_gmt":"2018-11-20T17:12:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.carleton.ca\/?post_type=cu_story&p=51993"},"modified":"2025-09-30T11:20:52","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T15:20:52","slug":"disaster-plans-indigenous-communities","status":"publish","type":"cu_story","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/story\/disaster-plans-indigenous-communities\/","title":{"rendered":"Student Challenge Creates Natural Disaster Plans for Indigenous Communities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\n\n \n \n \n \n
\n\n
<\/div>\n \n
\n
\n\n

\n Student Challenge Creates Natural Disaster Plans for Indigenous Communities\n <\/h1>\n \n <\/header>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/path>\n <\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

Raging forest fires that engulf communities and massive flooding that wreaks havoc and destroys public infrastructure. These natural disasters are traumatizing and recovery is challenging; complications from these events can be especially detrimental to the mental and physical health of those living in rural and northern Indigenous communities. With the increasing fallout from climate change, preparing for natural disasters becomes all the more pressing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To address this, 23 undergraduate students from a variety of disciplines at Carleton University came together Friday, Nov. 16, 2018 to compete in the 2018 One HEALtH (Human Environment Animal Links to Health) Student Challenge, presenting comprehensive frameworks to work with communities to mitigate mental and physical health impacts of disasters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organized by the Canadian Health Adaptations, Innovations and Mobilization<\/a> (CHAIM) Centre \u2013 in partnership with the Royal\u2019s Institute of Mental Health Research and Carleton\u2019s Discovery Centre<\/a> \u2013 it was the second annual challenge. The One Health initiative aims to foster collaborations across multiple disciplines to address multi-faceted health issues at the local, national and global levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe challenge and opportunity of a One Health approach is that it uses an integrated and holistic approach to a health issue, which is not usually taught as part of a medically-oriented curriculum,\u201d said Prof. Kim Matheson<\/a> of the Department of Neuroscience<\/a> and director of the CHAIM Centre. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\n

\u201cWith One Health, students take a broad-based interdisciplinary approach to addressing a global health problem.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Paired with graduate student mentors, the teams were presented with the challenge of designing a plan to mitigate physical and mental health risks and facilitate community rebuilding, with a particular focus on First Nations communities in Canada\u2019s northern regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThree different areas are touched on by this topic,\u201d said Matheson. \u201cClimate change and its impacts, the reconciliation agenda and what is happening in First Nations, and that health isn\u2019t just physical \u2013 it\u2019s  intrinsically linked with mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s also important to not focus on a single perspective \u2013 this project had the teams coming together with a range of perspectives on an issue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Carleton<\/figure>\n\n\n

Recognizing the Unique History, Culture and Customs of Indigenous Communities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Taking this innovative approach, the mitigation plans needed to recognize myriad intersections that impact health, be it risks associated with damaged infrastructure, animal welfare (both domestic pets and wildlife), or environmental factors. Students took into account the supports and infrastructure available to remote and northern Indigenous communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Student plans also recognized the unique history, culture and customs of Indigenous communities and the need for frameworks to be appropriate and respectful of traditional practices and community strengths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of the planning process, students had opportunities to consult with experts from a variety of fields to inform their frameworks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More Interesting Reads<\/h4>\n\n\n\n