Fort Smith (Apr 24/06) - After two decades in Inuvik, an Arctic College program is moving to Fort Smith.

The Recreation Leaders Program will be delivered at the Thebacha Campus starting in the 2007-2008 academic year.

Holly Ovayuak, a student in Aurora College's Recreation Leaders Program in Inuvik, participated in a cross-country skiing coaching course in March. - Photo courtesy of Aurora College

However, Inuvik's Aurora Campus will become the home of the new Community Wellness Program.

The change of location for the Recreation Leaders Program is partly due to declining enrolment in Inuvik over the past few years.

The decline is largely because Inuvik's high cost of living discourages potential students from elsewhere in the NWT, says Tim Gauthier, the college's public and corporate affairs manager.

"Fort Smith has the advantage of a lower cost of living," Gauthier notes.

Julian Tomlinson, the program's chief instructor in Inuvik, says many of the students currently enroled in that program are from the Beaufort Delta. Recruiters have heard concerns about the location from potential students over the years, he notes.

While Tomlinson says the program has a history in Inuvik, he hopes the move to Fort Smith will be beneficial.

"If there are any opportunities for growing the program, that really excites me."

Graduates of the program are qualified to run community recreation facilities, including arenas, curling rinks and gymnasiums. They are also trained to motivate and lead people in recreational activities.

Gauthier says the move to Fort Smith will also permit program renewal.

"It will bring new life to it by refocusing it in certain areas," he says.

For example, he notes there will likely be more emphasis on leadership and what it takes to motivate people to get involved in community events.

In addition, there will be more focus on the requirements of aboriginal governments.

"As aboriginal governments and regional organizations take on greater levels of service delivery, there will be a need for people trained in taking leadership roles," Tomlinson says.

The program originally spent one year -- 1986 -- in Fort Smith before being transferred to Inuvik.

The Community Wellness Program will begin in Inuvik in the 2007-2008 academic year with a preparatory course to get students ready to enter the diploma program.

Gauthier says the details are yet to be worked out.

"It will be promoting healthy lifestyles, nutrition, drug and alcohol awareness, and recreation," he says.

The timing of the Recreation Leaders Program move to Fort Smith also opens up student housing in Inuvik for the Community Wellness Program.

Gauthier says student housing is currently limited in Inuvik.

"It would have been difficult to place another diploma program there with the current housing stock," he says.

The program is being developed in conjunction with the Department of Health and Social Services.

"The essence is it's training for wellness workers, primarily for addictions and mental health issues," says Chuck Parker, the department's deputy minister.

Currently, training for NWT community wellness workers is provided by Alberta's Keyano College, which sends instructors to Yellowknife.