Train while working and advance

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Lenore Richardson, program supervisor at Native Addictions Services in Calgary, Alta., says she previously acquired some academic background for her profession at Mount Royal College, but it's Nechi's hands-on approach to training that's really helped her to help her clients.

She's taken two of Nechi's training programs. First, while working full time for her present employer, she completed the Community Addictions Training program (CAT) over the course of about one year, for which she received a certificate in June 1997. Richardson was enthusiastic about the program format that allowed her to remain employed and to apply her new knowledge immediately to her job.

She explained she completed CAT by going to Nechi eight times during the year, staying at the institute a week at a time.

"It's what we call intensive experiential training, so for that whole week that's what you're focused on," Richardson said.

Next, she went on to take the Advanced Counsellor Training (ACT) program to "fine tune" her skills. Richardson received the ACT certificate following a half-year program in June 1998. Again, she held down her full-time job while taking the training.

This time, she not only improved her skills, she got a promotion. Richardson was appointed program supervisor at Native Addictions Services.

"Having the ACT training and fine-tuning my skills enhanced my opportunities for advancement, most definitely," she said.

She praises the friendly, inclusive atmosphere at Nechi.

"The type of training that they offer was in a round room and so everything was sort of in a circle. You didn't have your traditional classroom setting - you got to see everyone, as opposed to if you were sitting in the back, just getting to see the backs of everyone else. So there was a lot more interaction with your fellow trainees."

Another thing Richardson says was really helpful at Nechi was "they encouraged small groups throughout the week - you would be assigned a small group for support, for guidance, for bonding, for friendship. Because you know, most of the people that are coming there are coming a long ways from home and they are missing their families, and so they really took care of that part of us too. They really encouraged the bonding and getting to know each other. When you get into this field, you have your professional relationships, so a bit of networking is done, which ultimately is going to benefit our clients, the more that we're all able to work together."