Inuvialuit Regional Corporation

Purpose

The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) and the National Research Council (NRC) will collaborate to provide immersive virtual reality (VR) technology to Inuvialuit for wellness and cultural benefits for clients with limited access to the land for healing. This study aims to provide VR immersion to 1) determine possible mental health benefits for Inuvialuit through connection to the land and 2) test the effectiveness of the VR technology as a tool in the North. We will form a steering committee that will include members from the IRC’s Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Center, Innovation and Research, IT, and Health and Wellness divisions; members of the Research Department at NRC; and community members. We will identify critical cultural sites to be included in the study, select test parameters and survey questions, and pilot the VR immersion on Inuvialuit clients with limited access to the land who need cultural connection and grounding.