SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Growing up in a multitude of foster homes and group homes, Michael Fatt struggled to garner a sense of who he was and where he had come from.
Fred Diamond'C hangs out at the day shelter on Thursday. The organization offers visitors a warm place to stay from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., a hot breakfast and an afternoon snack. - Miranda Scotland/NNSL photo |
He had no idea his birth family was aboriginal and, in fact, as a young boy he was convinced he was Chinese because of his last name.
Fatt's search for himself coupled with his living environment led him down a difficult path, one that he has made continual attempts to get off.
For eight years he worked in the oil patch and before that he ran a business. But his demons caught up with him.
Today his efforts to get onto his feet is stunted by his criminal record and alcohol addiction, yet he is still determined to work his "way up to being a normal person," Fatt said.
When he's not picking up odd jobs Fatt can often be found making use of Yellowknife's Dene Ko day shelter. The shelter, he said, is a life-saving institution but he wishes it had the funds to do more to improve the lives of clients like himself.
"I think there's got to be an idea, a way to keep people off the streets," Fatt said.
Currently, the day shelter provides residents with a warm place to stay from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., a hot breakfast and an afternoon snack.
The white building on 52 Street received about 20,000 visits from 280 individual clients last year, according to a report from the John Howard Society, which runs the shelter.
Given the popularity of the organization, Fatt said, he thinks more should be done on-site to assist people. He suggested a nurse or social worker be available on a regular basis to speak with clients who suffered trauma in their past or who have other psychological problems.
Fatt said he also really wants to see a job-connect program. At this time, employers sometimes drop by to get help with odd jobs but, Fatt said, he would like it to become a formal program.
"I think it would really provide an incentive not to drink," he said, adding shelter clients need something to reach up and grab onto. "A lot of people that go in and out, all they need is one good chance."
Arts and crafts workshops would also be very beneficial, Fatt said. It would give people a release while allowing them to make a few bucks, he added.
Finally, he said, the day shelter should have someone who can help visitors connect with government programs and social services because it can be difficult to navigate the system alone.
Lydia Bardak, executive director of the John Howard Society, said she feels Fatt's ideas are very insightful but some of the assistance he talks about already exists in the community. The society doesn't want to duplicate services but find its own niche, she said.
However, a mid-term evaluation of the shelter revealed that a navigator person could be of great service to clients, Bardak continued. This person could take clients to service providers straight away so that they don't put it off.
"Our people are surviving day-to-day so booking an appointment for a week next Tuesday doesn't always work," Bardak said.
"They operate in a very concrete kind of way, not abstract so when somebody sees me they remember they want to talk to me about something but when I'm not there they don't think to call me to see if I'm in my office and could they drop by."
Bardak said she has also looked at getting a recreational therapist who could offer music and craft programs to the clients. Yet, in both cases money and staff are an issue.
"I've certainly looked for additional funding and will continue to look for additional funding, or partnerships as well," she said.
