This is a multi-year project funded by multiple CIHR grants, focused on promoting sexual well-being among Indigenous boys and men, made possible by an ongoing partnership between the Sexual Health and Gender (SHaG) research lab at Dalhousie University and two Indigenous led, community-based organizations: the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre and Healing Our Nations.

Phase one of the project included a graphic facilitation at the Atlantic First Nations Health Conference, a rapid review of the literature, and interviews with stakeholders and Indigenous men in the Seven Sparks program. Indigenous men expressed that they needed safe spaces to discuss sexual health, positive role models, comprehensive sex education, and open communication.

Phase two involved two 2-5 day retreats on Mi’kmaw and Wolastoqey lands in collaboration with Healing our Nations, and a series of Learning Lodges (workshops, e.g. drum-making) for urban Indigenous men, run in collaboration with MNFC.​ Men created emotionally safe spaces where they could explore Indigenous masculinities and how they relate to social, communal, and spiritual responsibilities​.

Phase three involved community consultations with Indigenous men’s groups in Mi'kma'ki and Wolastokuk on how best to communicate and make use of the learnings from the previous phases. We also created and disseminated community reports. Consultations indicated men’s groups needed more support to grow and sustain their holistic sexual health initiatives within their communities. To achieve this goal, the SHaG lab has applied for and received a new CIHR grant which continues our work on Indigenous boys and mens’ sexual health in partnership with several Indigenous communities in the Atlantic region.