Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

Participants of the two-year Baffin Region Counsellor Training and Mentorship Program took to the streets in Clyde River for the Walk of Love. Residents joined them in the march, which marked the end of the program on Oct. 15. - photo courtesy of Peter Iqalukjuak

KANGIQTUGAAPIK/CLYDE RIVER - A group in Clyde River took to the streets this month in a "Walk of Love."

The march on Oct. 15 marked the end of a two-year counsellor training program, which drew participants from throughout Baffin Island to the local Ilisaqsivik Family Resource Centre.

Carrying signs with slogans like "Arctic Bay loves you" and "Share the love," they wound through town to the local school for tea and their course certificates.

"We wanted to show the community that we care, because we know there's a lot of people out there who need help but don't know what to do, where to turn," said Joanna Oolateeta, a mental health and wellness counsellor from Pond Inlet.

Almost 40 people took part in the four-part training program, which included one session on the land this summer.

Officially called the Baffin Region Drug and Alcohol Training and Mentorship Program, it was administered by the southern-based LifeWorks counselling with guidance from Clyde River's elders committee.

"The objective was to train counsellors, focusing on addictions counselling, but combining Inuit traditional and southern methods," said Jake Gearheard, co-ordinator of Ilisaqsivik.

Coursework was all done in Inuktitut, with translation provided for the southern teachers. Participants could take one or all the sessions.

"The Inuktitut was important, and it was good for the elders to be able to communicate in their own language," Oolateeta said. "And the combination of the two ways, Inuit traditional and the south, that's the best way to deal with problems these days."

The walk itself was a spontaneous plan, meant to draw more of community into the celebration, according to Joanna Qillaq, who recently joined the staff of Ilisaqsivik as a counsellor.

"Some people think that there's no one who cares about them, and when they're having a problem, they think they're alone," she said.

Emily Karpik, an attendee who is also a youth co-ordinator with the Pujualussait Project in Pangnirtung, agreed.

"We know there are people out there who feel isolated, who might be in the first stages of thinking about suicide. I hope our walk allowed them to feel they're loved and cared for," she said.

The participants have been putting their counselling skills to use in other ways since it began as well.

"I've been getting many of the tools from other people to help others. And I've been using the tools already - how I can help youth, how to identify FASD (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder)," said Meeka Paniloo, the local hip hop co-ordinator. "It really helped me, too. I was carrying too much stuff that wasn't helping me, that gave me pain, some from my past."