The Climate Crisis and Indigenous Youths' Mental Health: The Pilot Project

The problems arising from the climate crisis are getting worse for Indigenous youth. Even with added health disruptions related to colonial impacts and threatened cultural connections extending beyond those impacting the general population, youth voices have been excluded from decision-making regarding the climate crisis. Indigenous youth are next in line to take on the responsibility of addressing the climate crisis and their voices must be included in transformative spaces for them to succeed, positively impacting systemic change. In response to this need, this research project was developed with the guidance of Elders and community leaders from the Northwest Territories (NWT) to investigate the climate crisis and the impacts on Indigenous youths' mental health, in both NWT and Ontario. For Toronto, Ontario (Treaty 13), Dr. Suzanne (Ethsi) Stewart serves as principal investigator, with the research team at Waakebiness Institute for Indigenous Health (WIIH). This article describes the Toronto investigation.

The research questions leading this project are: what are the mental health impacts of climate change for Indigenous youth, and what services are needed to support youth?

This research has three primary objectives:

• To conduct a systematic literature review that explores and synthesizes the available literature on Indigenous youth, climate change, and mental health impacts, incorporating Indigenous Knowledges and perspectives.

• To identify and amplify the voices and perspectives of Indigenous youth regarding the relationship between the climate crisis and mental health.

• To create a culturally rooted, participatory environment where Indigenous youth can freely, safely, and autonomously express their perspectives, experiences, and values on climate change and mental health through theatrical performances, plays, and media.

These objectives aim to:

• Determine the impact of climate change on the mental health and well-being of Indigenous youth.

• Foster a positive, strengths-based, and culturally grounded experience where Indigenous youth can acquire skills, engage in artistic expression, and contribute meaningfully to research.

• Develop actionable recommendations for mental health support tailored to Indigenous youth. This includes additional programming, identifying key barriers and supports, and making substantial contributions to the Indigenous youth mental health research field.

This project is led by the Principal Investigator, Dr. Suzanne (Ethsi) L. Stewart, two Traditional Elders and Knowledge Keepers, Clayton Shirt and Luana Harper Shirt, one postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Sabina Mirza and three Graduate-level research assistants at the time of the pilot, Michael Brown (PhD Candidate), Sarah Ponton, and Jay Lu. The research team listed at the time of the pilot project includes Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers who have advanced academic and clinical training in Indigenous public health, mental health, community engagement and a diverse array of employment and academic skills to support participation, data collection and analysis and maintenance of this project.

There were four main findings from the literature, including the focus on Land as a key to wellness, experiences of existing challenges getting worse, Indigenous youth resilience and the stark absence of Indigenous youth input regarding anything that affects them. Without access to land, the ability to perform cultural activities and partake in spiritual ceremonies is greatly hindered, threatening connection to community, culture and sense of belonging alongside other negative emotions and decreases in mental health (Brown et al., 2024; Consolo et al., 2015; Lebel et al., 2022; Vecchio, Dickson & Zhang, 2022). Secondly, the expression of pre-existing issues being exasperated included various forms of deprivation, poverty and food insecurity, which further increased feelings of stress and depression (Brown et al., 2024; Cunsolo et al., 2015; Hickman et al., 2021). Additionally, the climate crisis impacted mental health due to the lack of agency and self-determination of the more vulnerable individuals and communities (i.e., Indigenous youth and communities), often leading to feelings of stress, depression or hopelessness (Brown et al., 2024; Cunsolo et al., 2015; Hickman et al., 2021).

Thirdly, Indigenous youth developed plans to support their families and communities to improve mental health and community connections, despite challenges faced. Lastly, there was a limited or lack of Indigenous youth voices in academia and research (Brown et al., 2024). Without the inclusion of Indigenous youth perspectives, decision-making processes and the subsequent policies remain uninformed. Furthermore, benefits of Indigenous youth inclusion pertained to strengthening connection to Land and self-efficacy. For example, Lebel et al. (2022) reported that including Indigenous youth in political advocacy and climate awareness decision-making spaces increases confidence and connection to Land and having the space and authority to self-determine their own solutions, methods of healing and ways of promoting wellness, simultaneously and positively impacts both individual and community self-efficacy (Noronha et al., 2021). Overall, much of the research reviewed focused primarily on the perspectives of Indigenous Peoples and adults living in northern remote regions.

This project applied an Indigenous Knowledges methodological framework, encompassing the various forms of knowledge that Indigenous communities accumulate across generations, enabling achievement of stable livelihoods in their living environment (Estey et al., 2009). Comprehensive and diverse, these Knowledges include technological knowledge, general skills and know-how, healthcare practices, beliefs and environmental understandings. This project utilized Indigenous Knowledges in three main ways: community collaboration and community-based design, centering community partners as collaborative decision makers throughout all phases of the projects; having meaningful and ongoing guidance and engagement from Traditional Knowledge Keepers (and/or Elders); incorporating aspects of Indigenous Ceremony into the research including openings and closings. This framework is crucial to rooting this project in cultural knowledges and highlights the importance of traditional Indigenous perspectives, teachings and guidance in mental health literature, research design and implementation and recommendations for systemic change.

The research team ensures constant maintenance of participant confidentiality and anonymity. To address any risk of distress during Talking Circles with youth, despite an already minimal risk to participants, Elders from the community and research team were present at every Talking Circle and data collection event. A list of services was also provided to maximize accessibility and availability of mental health supports for youth. Furthermore, the research followed the principles outlined in Marshall et al. (2006), Marshall & Batten (2004), the OCAP® Principles (First Nations Information Governance Centre, https://fnigc.ca/ocap-training/), and the TCPS-2 Chapter 9 (Government of Canada, 2022). The Principal Investigator's experiences as researcher in Indigenous communities have underscored the necessity of respectful and reciprocal relationships (Stewart, 2010). Further, Dr. Stewart and her team members have training in Indigenous ethical research knowledge and the procedures designed to mitigate both exploitation and power differentials between Indigenous communities and academic institutions. Decisions about the focus on gendered populations will be determined by the project Elders, Traditional Knowledge Keepers and community partners. The researchers acknowledge that populations defined by cultural and ethnic Indigenous identity in which Western binary definitions and constructions of gender do not always fit within Indigenous contexts may be emergent within the project, requiring additional ethical considerations. However, many services require Western definitions to qualify for access.

This project is based in Indigenous Knowledges Frameworks, Teachings and cultural safety principles (Papps & Ramsden, 1996; Brascoupé & Waters, 2009; Gerlach, 2012; Kovach, 2009; Tuhiwai Smith, 2012). The research methodology—from research questions to research design—was co-created with Elders, community partners, and knowledge users to document the availability, use and experiences of mental health care for Indigenous youth in both the NWT and Ontario. The overall research question is: What are the mental health impacts of climate change for Indigenous youth, and what services are needed to support youth, and was developed during the pilot phase by youth and Elders. To clarify, this article describes the investigation in urban Tkaronto. This research project took a mixed-methods and two-eyed seeing (Marshall, Marshall, & Bartlett, 2015) approach by incorporating surveys and Talking Circles.

This research employs a mixed methods approach with a qualitative priority to allow participants to engage with the questions in diverse ways. The project began with a Talking Circle with 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations (2S; community partner), and many Indigenous youth who use their services and wanted to participate. This was followed by another Talking Circle with youth who consented to participate in the study. Members of the research team, including an Elder-in-Residence, were present for the Talking Circles. The research questions were discussed and the youth participants engaged in theatre workshops with an Indigenous theatre expert to create a play in response. All workshops were held at a 2S location during the summer of 2022. After the youth developed their play, they had the opportunity to present their play to Elders, members of community, researchers, academics and social service workers at WIIH's annual 2023 Fall Symposium. Ethical approval for this project was given by the Elder's Council and Community Advisory Committee through WIIH, the Community Partners and by the University of Toronto REB (ref #00045155).

Talking Circles were conducted at 2S with Elders and Indigenous youth to understand their perspectives on climate change, following the protocols expressed by the facilitating Elder. Notes on the discussions were done by a designated note taker and all identifying information about participants was anonymized. A play was developed and presented to an audience at WIIH's annual Indigenizing Health Symposium. A survey consisting of six questions (see results section) was distributed to the audience, assessing their experience of the play and its impacts on them. The first 5 questions used Likert scales (“Strongly Agree”, “Agree”, “No Opinion”, “Disagree”, or “Strongly Disagree”) and the last question was open-ended, prompting respondents to share any other comments or feedback they had about the play.

WIIH and 2S collaboratively recruited those interested through flyers, e-mail, social media postings, staff recruitment, recommendation and referral. Primary stages of research collaboration included team discussions with the partners about preferred strategies in data collection. All recruitment efforts, methods and tools were pre- approved by our community partner, Elders and the research team.

As youth are involved, participants will not be identified in any report or publication of this study, nor its results. Any names or other identifying information will not appear on any transcripts unless youth participants have consented otherwise. During interviews, each participant was given a code number or pseudonym which was attached to the research instrument (i.e., survey and interview) to maintain anonymity and confidentiality.

Since Indigenous youth are a vulnerable population, there was a risk that participants might share and disclose sensitive and personal information during Talking Circles. If participants found the questions that were asked to be troubling, an Elder was present and the list of resources was made known and available for additional support. If participants found the Talking Circles too long or tiring, they were able to request breaks or to end participation and still receive their honorarium. As we did not know what feelings or trauma would arise during conversations for the youth, supports were also accessible through agency staff, counselors, or Elders. There were no reported or observed instances of discomfort or risk throughout participation.

The benefits to individual participants were opportunities to provide input on and influence positive shifts in policy affecting them, supporting Indigenous youth empowerment, self-determination and autonomy. There may also be therapeutic benefits for the youth in being able to share their stories, being heard, and having their voices elevated. The youth also received $50 compensation at the end of each session they participated in. As mentioned, if the participants decided to withdraw or discontinue their participation, they still received the honorarium that was originally promised.

To maximize Indigenous youth participation, multiple methods of participant engagement were included in collaboration with 2S. 12 youth participants consented for in-person Talking Circles and the development of a theatre presentation. COVID-19 public health restrictions and guidelines were in effect and were maintained throughout in-person proceedings ensuring participant and community health. Consistent with an Indigenous Knowledges framework on human development, ‘youth’ included community members aged 16–29 years at the time of participation. Participants of the audience and performance feedback survey included those who attended the conference.

Qualitative data analysis of the Talking Circles focused on Indigenous and bi-cultural values and priorities (Smith, 1999; Stewart, 2010). All notes from Talking Circles and discussions with participants were recorded during the data collection events and subsequently analyzed by the research team. Observations, field notes, and other artefacts were reviewed and analyzed by the research team and in consultation with participants and Indigenous community partners. The research team adapted coding structures and themes identified in previous research, using an Indigenous narrative and thematic story map tool (Marshall et al., 2008; Stewart, 2009, 2010) relevant to all the data. The quantitative data collected by the performance feedback survey was analyzed for descriptive and frequency statistics.

Findings of this pilot project include the youth play and both qualitative and quantitative data. A goal of this project was to create a 10-minute play about urban Indigenous youth's perspectives on climate change. The development of the play involved a Talking Circle consultation held with 10 urban Indigenous youth where they discussed how the climate crisis affected their mental health and holistic wellbeing. A brief thematic analysis was conducted, and four themes emerged. The four themes were: 1) anxiety, fear, and powerlessness; 2) finding voice and using voice; 3) autonomy and decolonization in government; 4) education, educating, and training youth. The youth then attended three 2-hour theatre workshops, developing a script from the themes.

Consultations and workshop participant recruitment processes were in partnership with 2S. 2S provided the physical space for the development and rehearsal of the play, supported by Lena Recollet, an Anishnaabe artist with theatre experience, and Elder Luana Harper Shirt, an Indigenous member of the community and part of the research team at WIIH.

Four across-participant themes were identified from the consultation (see: figure 1).

Figure 1

The across-participant themes identified through consultation with Indigenous youth

Youth described the mental health toll of learning about the dire state of the earth, especially knowing that the catastrophic consequences of inaction will happen in their lifetime.

Youth acknowledged their importance in the conversation on climate change as they “are the future” and have ideas on impactful solutions. However, they also acknowledged how difficult it is to be listened to by those in power and by those who do not value their voices.

Youth discussed how the current government needs to change the way it looks at and reacts to the climate crisis, which youth suggest would happen through the decolonization of the government and moving away from capitalism.

Youth highlighted the need for our education system to promote more eco-friendly jobs and lifestyles, such as by offering agricultural classes. Youth also highlighted the importance of having a space to learn and be on the land.

In September 2022, a survey consisting of six questions was distributed to attendees during the WIIH's annual Indigenizing Health Symposium following the youth's performance and panel. A Likert Scale was used for the first 5 questions, from which respondents could choose one of the following options: “Strongly Agree”, “Agree”, “No Opinion”, “Disagree”, or “Strongly Disagree” in relation to the statement provided. The last question was open-ended, allowing respondents to provide further insights that were not covered through the first 5 questions.

The results showed that most respondents had a positive experience from watching the play, with the most common answers being “Strongly Agree” and “Agree”. Most responses expressed feeling strong connections to the overall message of the play and having key takeaways moving forward.

Question 1. I felt a connection to the overall message in the play. Almost all (94%) survey respondents reported feeling a connection to the overall message of the play, with 40% of participants reporting a strong connection. 6% of respondents gave no opinion (n=3), and no respondents expressed feeling no connection at all.

Question 2. I learned something new about the climate crisis and its impacts on Indigenous youth. In reflecting upon what they took away from the youth performance, 82% of respondents reported learning something new about the impacts of the climate crisis on Indigenous youth. Nearly half (48%) of respondents agreed, while 34% strongly agreed. 10% of respondents (n=5) gave no opinion, while 8% (n =4) either disagreed or strongly disagreed.

Question 3. The play made me think about the impacts of the climate crisis on my own mental health. In response to whether the play made respondents think about connections between the climate crisis and their own mental health, 56% of respondents agreed and 26% strongly agreed, while 18% either disagreed or gave no opinion.

Question 4. My outlook on the climate crisis has changed because I watched the play. Most (66%) of the survey respondents confirmed that their outlook on the climate crisis has changed because they watched the play. Less people (26%) responded that they had no opinion, while 8% of respondents felt that the play did not change their outlook on the play.

Question 5. I feel inspired to be more involved in taking action to fight the climate crisis because I watched the play. Question 5 asked participants if they felt inspired to be more involved in taking action to fight the climate crisis because they watched the play. 58% of respondents agreed and 30% strongly agreed that they felt more inspired to increase their involvement. A small portion of respondents (8%) reported no opinion or disagreed (4%).

Question 6. Is there anything else you would like to share with us? The final question was open-ended and prompted respondents to share any other comments or feedback they had about the play. Aside from feedback about the technical aspects such as audio, most respondents had positive comments about the youths' presentation and project. Several comments also highlighted the need to amplify more youth voices and the impact the presentation had on those who watched it.

Examples of comments:

• “I hope that more youth will be involved in future iterations of this project.”

• “Good to hear youth perspective from youth themselves and not from adults.”

• “As an adult it's easy to get caught up and give up on the fight for climate. Seeing how this impacts youth has renewed my interest in pursuing that further.”

Some respondents noted that their disagreements about previous statements, such as questions 2 and 4, were because they already knew about the issues discussed or were already in agreement with the youths' perspectives.

Following the success of the youth play pilot project in Toronto with 2S, we plan to expand the youth play project to engage more Indigenous youth in both Toronto and NWT. For the next phase of this research, a survey will be given to Indigenous youth to understand how youth view the climate crisis and the impact it has on holistic wellbeing (i.e., physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health). The survey is intended to consist of 13 questions and is to be divided into seven sections: demographics, attitudes about the earth and being on the land, attitudes and behaviours related to climate change, impacts on physical health, impacts on mental health, impacts on emotional health, and impacts on spiritual health. Recruitment is planned to take place in partnership with 2S, Native Women's Resource Centre of Toronto (NWRCT), and Kids Help Phone (KHP); our research team aims to survey approximately 150 youth.

Youth workshops will also be developed with the community partners, youth and Elders. The project will seek to reach national and international contexts, as the climate crisis is a global phenomenon. The knowledge gathered through this project will be disseminated through conference presentations, publications, and knowledge translation events. A national survey conducted in partnership with NWRCT and KHP is planned to gain insights and perspectives of Indigenous youth from across Turtle Island (Canada) about the impacts of the climate crisis on their mental health and wellness.