Avenues of Change: Engaging Families in Squamish
How can we learn from families living in Squamish about their needs and priorities for investment to support early childhood development? How can we ensure that the voices of Indigenous families are heard?
Avenues of Change is a multi-year, multi-phase project funded and guided by United Way of Lower Mainland that focuses on supporting early childhood development within communities. In 2018, the Health Design Lab and the Social Planning and Research Council of British Columbia (SPARC BC) were co-contracted to lead family and stakeholder engagement sessions in Squamish, BC to identify the needs of families with children 0-6 years of age.
The Health Design Lab was primarily responsible for engaging directly with families to uncover opportunities for improvement. From the onset of the project, it became apparent that the biggest challenge would be connecting with families to participate — in particular creating a space for Indigenous families to feel respected and invited as key contributors. Ultimately, we were able to work closely with Squamish Nation’s community leaders to arrange a series of activities including an Indigenous-led Talking Circle, co-design activities and a Blanket Ceremony. This phase of work resulted in a series of action strategies for how local organizations could address systemic challenges facing families in Squamish, and taught us a lot about collaborating with Indigenous communities as designers.
Engagement Approach
From May to July 2018, the HDL team led six community engagement workshops, including two specific events with Squamish Nation families. From June to October 2018, the HDL and SPARC BC team held four engagement workshops and meetings with the Avenues of Change Advisory Committee, as well as conducting key stakeholder interviews and focus groups with members of the committee, service providers, and agency representatives.
In order to engage families in meaningful conversation, the Health Design Lab team designed four participatory design activities to support families in expressing their thoughts and ideas. These activities (Dream Catcher, Hopes & Dreams, Places We Go, Wishes for the Community) were utilized in the six engagement sessions to gather a range of perspectives and facilitate dialogues about current needs and hopes for the future.
Knowledge Sharing
Article: How designers can plan healthier communities, together with Indigenous families – The Conversation
Article: Finding synergies between Indigenous and designerly ways of knowing – Design 4 Health Journal
News Story: Designing Healthy Futures with Squamish Nation Families
Project Collaborators
Partners:
United Way of the Lower Mainland
SPARC BC
Squamish Nation
Funder:
United Way of the Lower Mainland
HDL Project Team:
Caylee Raber
Nadia Beyzaei
Sarah Hay
Nicole Preissl
Timeline:
Apr 2018 – Nov 2018
