Jennifer Redvers
Jennifer is a Métis Dënesųłiné from the Northwest Territories now living in the Yukon and working as a youth counsellor. She holds a Masters in Environmental Design, a Bachelor of Science and various counselling certifications. She is an outdoor enthusiast, traditional hide tanner, researcher, and has worked in a many supporting youth and young adults out on the land. Her research has looked at the health benefits and positive community outcomes from land-based programming and practices, especially in supporting Indigenous resilience and mental wellness in Northern Canada.
WORKSHOP TITLE : Remembering Who We Are – Land-based healing and wellness
DESCRIPTION : The resurgence of land-based initiatives and practices in a modern day context is a highly under examined and yet essential contribution within the field of Indigenous mental health. Land-based initiatives in Northern Canada include an array of innovative land-based healing and wellness programs.
We often hear our Elders talking about the key importance of reconnecting ourselves with the Land (a term which includes the entire natural world and all of our relations), however, the western evidence base for understanding the context and importance of land-based healing initiatives has not yet been well developed within the health field.
Greater understanding and support for the growth of land-based initiatives in a variety of educational, health, and environmental sectors has the potential to contribute to the improvement of interrelated health outcomes in Northern Canada. This workshop looks at returning to Indigenous land-based practices and philosophies in a present-day context as a key ingredient for more effective work in the spirit of resilience and revitalization in Canada, supporting individual and community health in Indigenous communities, and especially among our youth.