Native social work students graduate

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One step toward the self-sufficiency of Alberta Aboriginal communities, was seen at the graduating ceremony of the Para-Professional Social Work course at the Chateau Louis Motor Inn, in Edmonton, on July 10.

The four month program which develops the para-professional skills of Native students who could then work along side of professional social workers, began in April, 1986.

The graduates will be doing a lot of the work done by regular social workers, such as the assessment of client needs, referral assistance and follow-up counselling.

Those native para-professionals will also be of great assistance to the social services department in explaining (in Aboriginal languages) the Social policy of government, to community people.

"This is a first step for me, I have never acquired a certificate before," said Frank Three Suns, class valedictorian.

Three Suns, described the course as co-editing the basic aspect of the social services field and one that gives new insights to social work.

A training course like this "will increase the initiative of individuals, groups and the community," in tackling their own social program needs, said Three Suns.

A total of 20 Aboriginal people from different parts of Alberta graduated from the course. Certificates of participation were also given to four other Nayive people.

Para-professional Social Work graduates from their home communities are:

Clara Ah-Ya-Sou of Fort McKay; Judy Alook of the Tall Cree Band near Fort Vermilion; Florence Chambaud of Meander River near High Level; Mildred Chowace of Sturgeon Lake near Valleyview; Louis Dahdona of the Dene Tha Band nearAssumption; Marsha Eagle Bear of the Blood Band near Standoff; Beverly Ferguson of the Boyer River Band near High Level; April Giroux of the Swan River Band near Kinuso; Wilma Little Mustache of the Peigan Band near Brocket; Alice Marten of the Chipewyan Band in

Fort Chipewyan; Lorraine Meneen of the Tall Cree Band; Glenda Okimaw of Driftpile; Marcella Olds of the Blackfoot Band near Gleichen; Mary Rain of the Paul Band near Duffield; Ambroise Ribbonleg of Jean D'or Prairie near Fort Vermilion; Martha Smith of the Peigan Band; Frank Three Sons of the Blackfoot Band; Joseph Tuccaro of the Cree Band in Fort Chipewyan and Mavis Ward of the Tall Cree Band.

Certificates of participation went to Florence Beaulieu of Meander River, Roselie Cardinal of the Saddle Lake Band near St. Paul, Wilfred Hookanooza of Meander River and Freda Whitehead of the Lubicon Lake Band near Little Buffalo.

The para-professional social work training program was a combined effort of the Westerra Institute of Technology, and the Amicus Populi Consulting company, with funding support coming from the Canada Employment and Immigration (Manpower) and the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.

The course curriculum was designed and instructed by the Westerra Institute of Technology which is based at Stony Plain, Alberta. Amicus Populi provided in-class facilitation for the course. The course schedule provided for two weeks in-class instruction followed by two weeks practicum in the students' home community.

"Westerra is a new institute with a difference, it is flexible, innovative and directs training to meet specific needs," said Earl Alexander in giving the congratulatory speech to graduating students.

Alexander said this kind of training will help develop the self-sufficiency of Indian bands and Metis communities. Westerra offers training programs that could help make Native self-determination a reality, said Alexander. He also mentioned that with the government moving towards transferring the administration of social programs to Native communities, training such as the Para-professional social work course could assist Native communities run their programs.

Alexander spoke of other programs that are offered by Westerra that could be useful to developing the human resources of Native communities. Careers training, small business management recreation, water and waste management, band business and band administration are a few of the programs that have been or could be specifically designed for Indian or Metis communities.

Training courses such as these, are more political in scope, because you are training Natives to administer their own community programs, said Alexander.