Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 15/02) - With a two-year federally funded pilot project at Yellowknife Catholic Schools winding down, four Yellowknife elders are wondering where life will take them next.

"I began to love it," says Yvonne Leblanc, who only started working as a French literacy mentor for the district this year. "If I have the possibility, I'll stay on."

It's not as if they will be thrown out onto the street once the NWT Older Worker program expires at the end of March.

One worker is thinking of taking a computer course when the program ends. The rest will likely return to retirement.

"I had no intention of coming back to work until this job came around," says Marie Taylor, who came north three years ago.

The program -- funded through Human Resources Development Canada -- gives retired persons ages 55 to 65 an opportunity to re-enter the workforce, and children struggling in school experienced role models and an extra helping hand.

Although funded by the federal government, the program was implemented by Education, Culture, and Employment.

Since September 2001, a total of 19 older workers have been hired into the program, and three other education districts in the NWT are included: the Deh Cho Divisional Education Council, Beaufort Delta Region and South Slave Divisional Education Council.

While older workers in those districts are part time, YCS's four are full time.

Taylor believes the program is particularly suited to the North, considering that elders traditionally are the primary educators.

The same goes for Catholic educators.

"Northerners believe the elders are the ones that should be teaching, which is very Biblical isn't it?" said Taylor.

Much of their time is spent in one-on-one sessions with students, many of whom the educators say are clever but are easily bored in the classroom.

"What we're trying to do is promote literacy in its broadest sense, and all those things tied into that, thinking about things, verbalizing things," said Wayne Balanoff, a long-time Northerner who taught in China with his wife before returning to Yellowknife.

"These people can work at a pace that is different, and with elder workers, it allows them (students) to be more relaxed," said Liz Baile, YCS student services co-ordinator.

Baile said she was hoping the program would become a permanently funded program, but after heavy criticism erupted two years ago in the House of Commons over HRDC spending, she believes the department is reluctant to renew it.

"It's really unfortunate HRDC did not renew it," said Baile. "It's had wonderful success."

According to ECE communications manager Janet Leader, the program will be re-evaluated after March.

ECE may help restore the program, but it will likely be up to school boards to foot the bill if they wish it to continue, said Leader.

From what she has heard, the program was a success.

" I think from all accounts it was a very positive experience," said Leader.