The Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre is planning to expand its menSA国际影视传媒檚 healing program to every community in the region, beginning with a workshop in Clyde River last week.
With the help of the territorial government, the friendship centre is hosting a five-day training session to create a new program created by Inuit men for Inuit men.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 kind of a powwow, I guess, with different role models to find out the best way to reach men in the communities,SA国际影视传媒� said Charlene Williams-Kaludjak, executive director of Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre.
Williams-Kaludjak said the friendship centre has been planning on growing its menSA国际影视传媒檚 healing program for some time.
SA国际影视传媒淲e have some male counsellors here at Pulaarvik who believed that starting up menSA国际影视传媒檚 groups in each of the communities is important,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
The new programSA国际影视传媒檚 aim will be to help build a culture of healing among Inuit men by talking and working together, according to a press release from the Department of Health. Starting this fall, each community will offer one or two activities per month as well as two major land excursions per year.
SA国际影视传媒淭hese activities will involve men working together to offer service to community members (shovelling snow, delivering lake ice to Elders), healing discussions around issues like dealing with grief or anger management, and traditional skills activities,SA国际影视传媒� reads the news release.
According to Williams-Kaludjak, the lack of male councillors is preventing more men from accessing counselling. The friendship centre currently only has two male councillors, both of whom are based in Rankin Inlet.
SA国际影视传媒淲e know that the reason there is a gap in services is because there arenSA国际影视传媒檛 that many male councillors that men in the communities are comfortable with,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲e want people to be comfortable because we already knows how hard it can be to reach out for help.SA国际影视传媒�
Alan Qiyuaryuk, who recently started an AlcoholicSA国际影视传媒檚 Anonymous group in Baker Lake, is one of the people chosen to attend the workshop. Qiyuaryuk said that heSA国际影视传媒檚 both nervous and excited about the new opportunity.
SA国际影视传媒淚 canSA国际影视传媒檛 wait to learn new things and meet new people,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
Williams-Kaludjak said Qiyuaryuk is the kind of candidate that the centre is looking for.
SA国际影视传媒淭he work he is doing is very valuable, and it takes someone like him to make a program like this work,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
While the friendship centre invited people from every community to the workshop, only four of the locales will be represented.
After the Clyde River workshop is completed, Williams-Kaludjak said the friendship centre will start hiring part-time male counsellors to run the menSA国际影视传媒檚 program in each community, regardless of whether representatives were able to attend.
SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e hoping that if this is successful, weSA国际影视传媒檒l be able to do more in the future,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
