Participants enthusiastic about new program

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In Saskatchewan, the competition for good jobs is fierce. When a government position, often regarded as the highest paying and most secure, opens up, that competition is more intense than ever.

With a high percentage of First Nations inmates in both federal and provincial correctional institutions, band leaders recognize the need for highly skilled workers with similar cultural backgrounds. That's one reason the council of the Beardy's and Okemasis First Nations sought training for its membership.

The council wanted more than the Corrections Worker Program offered by the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences in Prince Albert. They met with Corrections Service of Canada (CSC) at the Saskatchewan Penetentiary to see what could be arranged. The idea for a six-week pre-employment course was born.

Another reason for the course was the scheduled opening of the Willow Cree Healing Lodge on the reserve.

One of Jean Gamble's duties while doing a practicum at the office of the Willow Cree Healing Lodge was to encourage the membership to apply for the SIAST corrections worker program and the six-week preparation course for CSC.

"Within a four-month period, these two programs started and the interest from the band membership was encouraging and overwhelming," she said. "I do not necessarily want to be a corrections officer, per se, but to work in programming and team management when our healing lodge becomes a reality. The procedures of learning about corrections work is helpful in this process."

The Willow Cree Healing Lodge is a joint venture between the CSC and Beardy's and Okemasis First Nation to build a 40-bed facility for federally sentenced men. The lodge is structured to help inmates integrate back into society with the help of a holistic traditional approach, Gamble said.

Components of the pre-employment program, which ended a few weeks before Christmas, included cognitive skills, interview skills, physical fitness, first aid certification and goal setting. The facilitators, Judy Unruh and Mark Neil, were pleasantly surprised by the highly developed sense of teamwork demonstrated by the group as they worked on problem-solving skills. High needs segments of the program included analytical reasoning, basic high school math skills and vocabulary.

Unruh has a background in working with groups. She did an inmate orientation program for several years and is a trained cognitive living skills coach. She is trained in the Breaking Barriers and Living without Violence in the Family programs and facilitated a sex offender program. She has also participated in hiring boards and so has an extensive knowledge of what employers are looking for when hiring correctional staff.

"Teaching adults in the community was a new experience for me," she said. "I found the group at Beardy's already had many of the skills I had been teaching to offenders.

"One of my theories is that people in different area, school districts for example, might have the same difficulties because they were taught in the same way by the same teachers. They might be the cause for some of the deficiencies. There are specific needs in each group.

"With inmates, you literally have a captive audience. But in the community, I find that adults will only pay attention to the things they think they will need, things that apply to their situation. These people are sacrificing a lot to attend. If they don't see the 'why' of learning something, they're going to tune out."

A healthy percentage of the students didn't tune out. They stuck with the course, despite personal sacrifices. Darren LaFond, who lives on the reserve, felt the days were worthwhile.

"I enjoy working with people and helping them realize their potential and that they are not alone in life. There are a lot of good people out there with truly caring attitudes who really want to help."

In order to attend the classes, Tammy Michael took time off from her university studies and commuted from her Sasktoon home. Her classmate, David Larocque, originally from Waterhen Lake, now lives at Beardy's. He felt there was a sense of community because the course was taught in a place where students feel comfortable.

"I felt that the course has already benefited me because it has enabled me to pass the cognitive test, the interview and the COPAT (Correctional Officer Physical Abilities Test)," he said. "Without this course, I wouldn't have had the confidence to do these steps. You have a better idea when people show you what you can accomplish using your gifts and talents."

Rosthern resident Jennifer Penno took Fridays and Saturdays off her job to attend classes and appreciated the insight it gave her.

"There are a lot of people who end up taking the wrong path in life," she said. "I want to help those people get back on the right path and realize they have the potential to do that."

Roland Gamble is another very busy man who describes himself as a traditional person who believes in the old ways of life and using them in a modern lifestyle. He is a single father of three children, self employed as a carpenter and working also as an addictions counsellor. He wants to learn how to help inmates integrate back into their own communities and also to teach about values, beliefs and customs.

The day-to-day lives of inmates were something that June McGivney had never before considered. A food service supervisor at Saskatoon City Hospital, she gave up her holidays to attend classes at Beardy's school and spent Friday nights with a classmate, giving up valuable family time.

"I really enjoyed coming out on Friday and Saturday because it's a break from my regular routine at the hospital. I can let my hair down from being in management to being a classmate."