Dene Tha fight to create jobs

Want end to welfare

Page 3

In the fall of 1983, I did an article regarding the band manager for the Dene Tha of northern Alberta, Fred Didzena. At the time he had emphasized to me that it was his dream to fight to and get people off welfare.

Today Didzema's dream remains the same and it is now starting to materialize - starting to, but it seems without the full support of Indian Affairs.

In early September, 1985, a social development program was established under the banner "Dene Tha Ehts Ande," meaning "People helping People."

It was organized almost one month later, on October 1, by Indian Affairs and Bill Pelech, the co-ordinator for the program hired by Dene, believes because it was handed over so quickly, it was designed to fail.

"In October, we began to administer the first welfare cheques under the bands administration. They only gave us 30 days, so I believe it was set up to fail, but we managed," commented Pelech.

Indian Affairs, through its welfare program, administers approximately $689,000 strictly for welfare cheques. Another $148,000 in the welfare budget is used for the delivery of the program for the Dene Tha.

The band numbers approximately 1,500 people at Assumption, Meander River and at Bushe River.

What the bands leaders, its council and administration did with the welfare money is almost unbelievable, a dream that should not fail.

When Pelech arrived at Assumption in 1983, he says there was little if anything being done in regards to social services in the community except "vouchers and the apprehension of kids.

"It had been that way for years nothing happening constructive for people and very little support. There were just social workers to maintain the bare necessities."

Trailers and teachers' quarters were being broken into and, as both Fred and Bill agreed, for the sole purpose of stealing food.

"They would raid the fridge and leave expensive equipment that they could of taken," commented Didzena, who's house was also broken into and all that was taken was food and some cassettes.

"Kids were hungry and breaking into the store for money and food. It was a dismal situation," Didzena added.

When they were handed the reigns to handle the welfare program, it happened so fast that the cheques they had printed arrived only one week prior to their new found duties. It didn't give them much time to act.

In 1984-85, the DIAND went from the voucher system to the issue of welfare cheques, and again Pelech says the switch to a cheque format took place very quickly.

"Some people managed, but there was no support for clients to help that change."

The abuse of alcohol and other social problems continued. To people like Fred and Bill, it was the same pattern formerly administered through the welfare program by Indian Affairs, although now it could be classed as a different source cheque issue instead of vouchers.

Two months later, in December of 1985, a Band Council Resolution was passed to change back to voucher and assess each case individually, where residents after a time would be gradually put back on a cheque system.

Didzena saw even further than the assessment of individuals. They went ahead and combined welfare cheques with PEP funding received from Alberta Manpower and turned the social assistance transfer into five working projects.

Through this unique plan, people on welfare - except for the crippled and elderly - gradually began to work for their money, which amounted to more take home pay than welfare offered.

The social development program was working.

It involved wood cutting, a hot lunch program along with staff for the school children, janitorial and clerical support staff, the building of corrals for the wood Bison near Assumption, and to develop the herd, and welfare recipients were now receiving more money.

"Technically, we put one third of our clients on work projects with no help except from Alberta Manpower. We have a forestry training program funded to $111,000 by Cnada Manpower that employs 11 Dene, for 19 weeks of work and training. Again, all

of these projects involve the transfer of welfare dollars which has created opportunities for people who would otherwise be on social assistance," said Didzena.

"The plan is to develop a system to get people off welfare, to look at individuals to train, job skills and community volunteer services.

We are turning the money into something constructive," says Pelech.

As of this month (January) they have crrated 60 jobs in the community which in turn took 60 people off welfare and put them on projects to benefit the community.

By getting people involved, Dene Tha Ehts-Ande, saved $110,000 in welfare money.

This was actually done in the span of six months when it was decided to turn the welfare money around into welfare projects.

And now the band is asking for extra money to continue these positive projects, but, according to Didzena, the Indian Affairs Department does not see it as their mandate, but only to supply welfare money to be supplied by Dene Administration.

"We asked for approximately $175,000 '86/87 dollars. We received $150,000 instead, from $148,000 that we have been receiving, so it was about a one percent increase. We wanted to add more responsibility," said Didzena.

"To continue what we are doing involves a lot of work, but the end result is that, because we reduced the number of people on welfare, we can let some of the staff go. We say we want to keep building and provide these opportunities for these people," added Pelech.

Pelech says it would take more work such as administration and bookkeeping and that it is not just to "administer cheques."

This year the band was able to get Training On Job (TOG) funding from economic Development Program of Indian Affairs for two more trainees, which slightly helps them because it freed up two of their more experienced workers, but they feel it just isn't enough.

With the wood cutting proceeds, the band is using the geneated funds to provide and create student allowances for upgrading their education.

"Today there are 22 students in upgrading who would otherwise be sitting at home and on welfare," said Pelech.

According to Didzena, the end result is to take over the welfare program completely and phase it out altogether as a welfare program. "We eventually want to turn it into an employment and opportunity and training program."

Didzena believes they have already accomplished that to some extent.

Still, Didzena would like to see the social Development Program given a certain degree of flexibility to achieve the goal of less welfare.

"Indian Affairs should consider the needs and demands that the north needs to change these things.

"Good social work means the issue of cheques to clients and a good audit, but it is not the case with us," commented a concerned Pelech.