Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Chesterfield Inlet (Aug 28/02) - Employees of the Pimakslirvik Home in Chesterfield Inlet completed their second training module recently.

Nurse and director of care Dianne Raniowski said 12 people -- comprised of both community members and employees -- wrapped up the second of 10 training modules at the end of July.

The six-week long course provided students with in-depth information about the body's systems and the effect aging has on them.

Pimakslirvik, jointly owned by the Chesterfield Inlet Development Corporation and Tapiriit Developments, provides care for multi-handicapped children and adults in Nunavut.

Completion of the training modules means workers already on staff are better able to perform their duties.

It also means community members who finish the educational component have the training needed to become employees of the centre.

"One person who took the course is now an employee here," said Raniowski. "We were happy to hire her as an activity aide."

"The more people from the community who take these courses gives us more potential employees."

The hiring of another local person at the home is a longtime dream come true for Raniowski. When the Catholic Church turned over control of the centre to Pimakslirvik Corp. earlier this year, the goal was to hire as many local people as possible to perform tasks previously completed by nuns.

A $650,000 budget increase this fiscal year provided the salaries and training dollars to help make this goal a reality.

A third module, also to be offered in conjunction with Nunavut Arctic College, is set to begin in October.