Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Mar 24/00) - A former drug and alcohol counsellor in Fort Providence for five years, Angelina Antoine knew she needed a change of pace. Yet she was determined to remain close to home.

"I still wanted to stay and help people within this region," she said.

She decided to spend four years in Merritt, B.C. attaining her social work degree through a University of Victoria program. In July 1997, she returned to Fort Providence and began working as a casual social worker. She achieved permanent status three months later.

Her main duties are child protection, supervision of foster children in foster homes, adult and youth probation and family services. The latter involves mediation between parents and children to resolve conflict in the home.

"We act as the middle person," said Antoine. "We try to talk to both sides separately first so there's not that much anger or hostility. Then we try to get both sides together."

Abating hostile situations is a goal of the job, but confronting tension, such as that involved when a child must be apprehended from an abusive home, is an impossible task. In order to cope during the difficult times, she talks things through with her colleague, Connie Norwegian. She also takes time for herself.

"I make sure I do some self-care, relaxing things, go visit my family," she explained, as soothing music played in her office.

Antoine and Norwegian generally work 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and alternate the weeks when they are on call and remain available for urgent matters in the evenings and on weekends.

Part of their job is to assess the needs of a client and refer them to a proper resource or agency such a family violence counsellors, alcohol and drug counsellors or treatment centres or even the regional psychologist. Working under the Child and Family Services Act, the job also involves a great deal of paper work.

Together Antoine and Norwegian are becoming more involved in healthy community initiatives such as forming a wellness committee and a justice committee. They also visit Deh Gah school once a week and work with students on referrals from the school. By working with them when they're young, it's hoped children will be better adjusted as adults, she said.

Having lived in Fort Providence most of her life, Antoine said it's beneficial to know nearly everybody in the community and their family histories, but some people simply don't feel comfortable talking about their problems, she acknowledged. For that reason, she said she has to assure them that confidentiality is of the utmost importance.

Although the results of working with clients are often long-term, there are times when the job can offer its rewards, like "seeing positive changes in families or individuals," Antoine said.