by Jennifer Pritchett
Northern News Services

RANKIN INLET (Oct 15/97) - Bobby Eetuk is proud to go to work everyday. Eetuk, 26, is one of several young men and women to graduate from the newly-named Taparti Centre in Rankin Inlet and go on to find permanent employment in the community.

These success stories were to be celebrated tonight at the Taparti Centre to mark the new name that honours the work of Lucien Taparti, who was involved in the centre before he died in March while fishing with his wife.

He was found dead near his komatik after he struck his head on the sled. He was a member of the Panaujaq committee, the board that oversees the centre.

Lesia Lucan, manager of the Taparti Centre, said the facility has proven to be a huge success. It provides invaluable training for those with intellectual disabilities, and in many cases, opens doors to a more productive future.

"The skills they learn here, they can learn elsewhere," she said. "We take them to the hotel for coffee -- we teach them social skills."

Eetuk is proof of the possibilities for people who go through the program.

He enjoys getting up every morning to work on the hamlet's water, garbage, and sewage trucks. He loves helping the other men out when something needs to be done, loves drinking coffee with them and sharing their jokes. He is one of them, and they love having him around. He's the favorite around here, said one of the other workers.

Five out of nine people who have used the training centre have jobs, the majority of whom still live in the adult group home next door.

In addition to learning social skills, they learn to cook and how to live independently. They are also taught basic Inuktitut and basic literacy skills.

"They sing Inuktitut songs and play Inuktitut games," said Lucan.

She has seen major improvements in the people who come to the centre.

"I've noticed a big change in them -- they communicate more, they initiate conversation more," she said. "They take pride in their jobs and they're very happy to go to their jobs."

Lucan said the goal is to teach them how to live independently and for those who live in the group home to move out on their own. Eetuk has done this and the arrangement is working well for him.

Lucan also said that those who work in the community help improve public awareness about the abilities of people with intellectual disabilities. That, she said, is an important part of what they are trying to do at the Taparti Centre.