During a recent policy discussion, Ashlee Olujic of the International Center for Responsible Gaming detailed the organization’s approach to Tribal community partnerships. The framework prioritizes direct consultation and combines quantitative research with local cultural knowledge.
Community-Led Program Design
Olujic stated that collaboration requires setting aside preconceived models. Each Tribal nation maintains separate governance systems and development priorities, which means uniform programs rarely transfer between regions. The ICRG applies the Two-Eyed Seeing methodology to these projects. This model treats Indigenous cultural knowledge and Western academic research as parallel elements. Practitioners use statistical data alongside community narratives to design responsible gaming measures.Research and Trust Development
Quantitative metrics alone do not capture local implementation conditions. Olujic noted that numerical findings cannot explain how mentorship programs or cultural initiatives influence individual behavior. The organization therefore records community feedback with the same priority as academic studies. Building operational trust requires continuous contact rather than single consultation meetings. Partners co-develop program structures instead of receiving pre-built solutions.Source: ICRG interview materials.