2015 – 2019
This study contributed to a conceptual shift from “poverty reduction” to “prosperity” in the context of urban Indigenous communities.
Ganohonyohk asks Indigenous communities what “prosperity” means to them.
Friendship Centre communities tell us that being prosperous isn’t only about having food, water, shelter or money. To be prosperous, they say, people need nutritious food, clean water, a safe place to live and the means to give generously and protect one another.
This strength-based research explores culturally appropriate approaches to urban Indigenous prosperity and considers the role of Friendship Centres in promoting prosperity. It concludes that approaches to Indigenous prosperity need to be context-specific and allow for self-determination in establishing communities’ priorities.
The Ganohonyohk/Prosperity Research Project explored how seven Indigenous Friendship Centre communities in Ontario understood the concept of prosperity. The guiding research question of “How do urban Indigenous Friendship Centre communities in Ontario view a prosperous/wealthy life?” was used to gauge the meaning of prosperity through a community driven lens.