As you read the Indigenous Wellness Indicators, notice the strengths-based language. The indicators were developed by posing the initial question “What makes a whole and healthy person?” to Elders, traditional Knowledge Holders, Cultural Practitioners, directors, and staff of treatment centres, consulting psychologists for treatment centres, and community health, chief and council members from the various First Nation communities. The most important aspect of these conversations is that they were about culture and using cultural knowledge, thus reinforcing that culture is the foundation of Indigenous wellness. These conversations allowed space to begin shifting the paradigm from deficit-based indicators to strengths-based indicators.
This section provides more description of the wellness indicators and their application in programs and services, in treatment programs and as community wellness indicators. The Native Wellness Assessment™ (NWA™) measures: Hope, Belonging, Meaning, and Purpose. There are five questions for each of the 13 indicators that are strengths-based and defined from Indigenous Knowledge. The NWA™ can be accessed here.