INUVIK - More than 100 front-line health workers will be in town next week to take part in a conference.

Regional health promotions officer Lorraine Walton said the conference, titled Building Healthy Communities, will focus on parenting and addictions.

From left, Patricia Kyle, Arlene Jorgensen and Lorraine Walton prepare the schedule for a week-long conference on healthy communities. The participants of the discussions will be front-line health workers from the region. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

The conference starts Monday, Jan. 21 and ends Jan. 25.

Walton said the conference is a collaboration among the Inuvialuit, Gwich'in, the NWT prenatal nutrition program, and the departments of Education, Culture and Employment and Health and Social Services.

The conference participants will be from Inuvik and surrounding communities in the Beaufort Delta.

Walton said participants can choose their own experience.

"The sessions run concurrently, so the participant can choose what they want to attend," said Walton.

"It will be good for community health reps, wellness workers, counsellors, child care workers and daycare workers.

"We'll be talking about gambling, the building blocks of parenting and basic things like nutrition and oral care."

Although the conference is not open to the public, three public sessions will be held in the evening.

"Anyone can drop in to the evening sessions," said Walton.

The nightly information sessions run from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The first night is about raising a child with special needs, the second night of public sessions is about healthy eating and the final night will be about communicating with your child.

"We thought it would be good for the community to benefit from the knowledge of the presenters," said Walton.

Front-line workers have been waiting for this conference.

"They have been wanting a parenting conference since I've been here, which has been a few years," she said.