Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Inuvik (July 19/02) - Some jobs have greater rewards than just a paycheque. Lorna Elias feels that way about her job at the Inuvik Youth Centre.

Elias is the youth co-ordinator for the centre and is originally from Holman, but has spent the past two years living in Inuvik.

She started the job last month and really enjoys what she does.

"I was always interested in working with youth," Elias said. "I sat on the youth board in Cambridge Bay and also involved with the regional board."

"It was always fun and interesting working with them."

The youth centre was forced to close for a few months over the winter while new staff was hired.

"We re-opened in May and have a full staff now," Elias said.

Part of her duties include filling out proposals for program development, requests for funding, and reporting to the board of directors.

"We just held our AGM (annual general meeting) last month and held elections for new board members," Elias said. "Pretty much all the same people are with us, they've just changed positions."

"Everyone is still very dedicated."

She said the centre is funded from donations from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and Urban Multicultural Aboriginal Youth Centres.

Two nights a week, she comes in to help the staff supervise. She said there are strict rules that have to be followed at the centre.

"They don't always like it, but we have to have rules," Elias said.

She said they just put together a youth board, who are now working on summer programs.

"We met last Saturday and they are looking at what kinds of things they are interested in doing this summer," she said. "There were all boys at the meeting, so they were mostly interested in doing sports."

She encouraged all the young women to come out to the next meeting to provide some balance in the summer schedule.

"Our next meeting is on July 22."

Plenty of activities

The youth centre houses a foosball table, two pool tables, two ping-pong tables, an air hockey table and two computers, with an Internet connection on one.

She said the centre will also be getting a face-lift this summer.

"We're going to do some re-arranging in here and some painting as well," Elias said.

"The youth said they wanted it baby blue, with black trim."

They also are about to order new speakers for the in-house stereo system.

"Right now we are just using a boom box and the youth like to have dances in here," she said.

Anyone interested in volunteering time or helping out with donations are welcome to drop by or give the centre a call.