Overall Status: In Progress

Timeline: Fall 2024 – Fall 2027

What we are doing

We are advancing cultural safety and anti-racism (CSAR) in the health and social services system. This includes delivering CSAR training and creating supportive spaces for Indigenous knowledge and leadership. The goal is to:

• Address the root causes of trauma, including colonization and systemic racism
• Provide safer, more equitable care for Indigenous residents
• Support community-driven approaches to healing and wellness
• Strengthen cultural understanding among frontline staff and leaders.

How we will do it

• Deliver and refine CSAR training for health and social services staff
• Support staff to practice and build facilitation skills
• Develop a readiness training curriculum grounded in Indigenous knowledge and trauma-informed practice
• Create a CSAR framework and training modules to guide long-term change
• Host a territorial Indigenous Knowledge and Wellness Gathering
• Support ongoing dialogue and accountability through an Indigenous Advisory Body

Progress to date

Revise the CSAR training curriculum

Status: In progress
Timeline: Fall 2024 - Winter 2025
Notes:

We are revising the CSAR training curriculum to support safe learning spaces, consistent delivery, and alignment with anti-racism best practices. This work responds to concerns raised in June 2024 about participant psychological safety and reflects input from the Indigenous Advisory Body.

Work completed or underway:

• Review of training objectives by the Indigenous Advisory Body (completed – June 2025)
• Practice facilitation for the first July training (completed – May - July 2025)
• Delivery of CSAR Readiness Training to medical residents (completed – July 2025)
• Curriculum revisions for new training modules, informed by staff facilitation experience and expert mentorship (completed – October 2025)
• Creation of a finalized CSAR training schedule for 2025-2026 (planned – Fall 2025)
• Pilot of the revised CSAR training program (planned – Winter 2026)

CSAR Facilitator Training and Peer Practice

Status: In progress
Timeline: Fall 2024 - ongoing
Notes:

We are supporting CSAR and Culture, Community and Innovation (CCI) staff to build confidence and skills in leading anti-racism conversations and delivering CSAR training.  Staff have participated in facilitation intensives and peer mentorship activities.

Work completed or underway:

• Completion of Anti-Racism Facilitation Intensive training through the Centre for Equity and Inclusion, delivered in four sessions during 2024 and a final session in April 2025 (completed – April 2025)
• Internal facilitation during peer-led sessions and pilot delivery of Readiness Training (in progress)
• Cross-departmental collaboration with the Diversity and Equity Unit (Department of Finance) on shared learning opportunities (in progress)
• Team development of a shared language and framework to support cultural safety, equity, and anti-racism facilitation across the GNWT (in progress)

Coordinate the Indigenous Knowledge and Wellness Gathering

Status: In progress
Timeline: Fall 2025 – Winter 2026
Notes:

We are in the early planning stages for a new territorial Indigenous Knowledge and Wellness Gathering proposed for January 2026. This gathering will focus on sharing Indigenous knowledge, practices, and community wellness approaches across the health and social services system.

Planning will be informed by guidance from Elders, youth, Indigenous governments, community partners, and HSS system staff.

Work completed or underway:

• Planning culturally appropriate engagement and outreach methods for Elders, youth, and communities (in progress)
• Coordinating communications (in progress)
• Confirming the location, format, and agenda for the gathering (planned)

Engage the Indigenous Advisory Body

Status: In progress
Timeline: Ongoing
Notes:

The Indigenous Advisory Body (IAB) provides advice and guidance to the Health and Social Services system on how to incorporate Indigenous knowledge and healing approaches into programs and services. It was established as part of the 2016 Building a Culturally Respectful Health and Social Services System action plan.

The IAB includes representatives from each NWT Indigenous government, the Department of Health and Social Services, and the three Health and Social Services Authorities. The CSAR division regularly reports to the IAB and incorporates its input into system planning and accountability work.

Work completed or underway:

• Organizing quarterly virtual meetings and one annual in-person meeting (ongoing)
• Ensuring action items are followed up and communicated back to IAB members (in progress)
• Supporting milestone planning and shared accountability approaches (ongoing)
• Meetings held in June and September 2025; next virtual meeting scheduled for November 2025 and annual in-person meeting planned for February 2026 in Déline (planned)