Fishing Lake trains own counsellors

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When Fishing Lake became the first Metis Settlement to hold Nechi Community Addictions Training in October of 1991, it was a giant step on the road to wellness.

Fishing Lake's journey represents just one path. It began in 1991 when staff from the Settlement Recreation, Community Resource Office, Family and Community Support services, Counselling Services, the Health Unit and other members formed the Human Services Committee to address social and cultural issues, adopting the holistic model to community development.

The holistic models is built on the belief that a person cannot grow as a whole being without emotion, spiritual, mental and physical pieces growing together. The same applies to the community where social, cultural, political and economic components get equal priority.

The committee's focus on social and cultural aspects complemented the political and economic components being addressed at the administrative level.

With a clear focus on the human side of the circle, the committee addressed barriers identified when trying to develop health, prevention and social programs. Team work, communication and trust were key words and key factors in the framework and

any successful project. The Nechi program was a good place to start.

According to the funding proposal for the Nechi program, "the impact of this existing training by the communtiy leaders will be an unmistakable message to the rest of the community that a problem exists that needs to be addressed. It shows the community what direction the leaders hope to take it."

The group that started the eight-month training program consisted of both settlement staff and community members. They were as diverse as the community itself, representing all walks of life and age groups. Twelve women and four men, from 18 to more than 65 years old, participated in the program.

"It as a good experience for me. I came to respect alcohol through this program," said Nechi participant Charles Daniels. "At times it was rough. Not enough men involved, but if I had to do it over again, I wouldn't do it any other way."

Commissioner Denis Surrendi attended the spring ceremony to honor the 12 grads.

"With the settlements moving into a new era, we must never overlook the humanity of the individual.....With all of the other things that accompany economic development and all the massive changes that you will experience over the next decades, it's people and families that will hold it together. You are only as strong as your individual self and we can never lose that. All the culture and all the things that you want to retain will only be retained in the family.:"

The training program was funded under a joint agreement between the Settlement Council and the Metis Settlement Transition Commission.