MIRA Indigenous Expansion Volunteer
About MIRA, the Mental Health Artificial Intelligence Chatbot
MIRA is a chatbot that uses artificial intelligence to provide Canadians with information on mental health supports and services. It can also provide information on general or specific mental health related topics.
MIRA was developed by the Mood Disorders Society of Canada, the University of Alberta, Dalhousie University, University of Saskatchewan, University of Western Ontario, International Indigenous Health Research and Training Centre, AI4Society, Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (amii), and APEC Digital Hub for Mental Health. MIRA is an anonymous, adaptive service, which uses machine learning to improve its services while protecting user privacy.
MIRA is a continuously evolving project, that will continue to grow over the next several years. We are working to improve and expand MIRA services to more Canadians. At the same time, faculty and students at the Computing Science Department at the University of Alberta are working to incorporate new forms of state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and machine learning programming.
You can learn more about MIRA by visiting our website.
Here is a link to an interview Dr. Osmar Zaiane, our Principal Investigator for MIRA, did with CBC recently.
MIRA is powered by passionate volunteers. In addition to students and trainees working under the leadership of some of the most esteemed academic minds globally in the fields of Computing Science, Psychiatry, and Indigenous Studies, the MIRA prototype was developed with the assistance of our passionate volunteers. In 2021-22, we had approximately 50 volunteers working tirelessly to help us get our prototype completed and launched, including in supporting the development of the MIRA Resource Library. We would not be here if it were not for our volunteers!
MIRA Indigenous Expansion Volunteer Position Overview:
This is an exciting opportunity for those interested in AI and mental health! We are wanting to work with First Nations, Métis, Inuit, or Non-Status Peoples to identify mental health resources and demo chatbots made specifically for Indigenous communities in Canada. This project will come with a certificate for volunteership from MDSC and is perfect for students wanting to learn about computer science or social science.
We are also welcoming non-Indigenous Peoples with backgrounds in Indigenous studies, sociology, or psychology to support the Indigenous expansion of MIRA.
All training will be provided and guided by our Indigenous extension lead.
Duties include:
- Testing the MIRA chatbot and new MIRA features before they are shared with the general public – your feedback will be incorporated into future adaptations and upgrades to MIRA. You will be able to see the difference you are making to help other Canadians! You will help make MIRA stronger!
- Help us fill gaps in the MIRA Resource Library
- Give our team advice – You bring a lot of insight and perspective to the table, and we would love to learn from you.
