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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Pedestrians, not cars, filled 53 Street this past Friday to celebrate half a century of the Yellowknife Association for Community Living.

Richard Colson is the longest-serving client of the Yellowknife Association for Community Living, having first arrived in 1982. The association celebrated its 50th anniversary this past Friday with a street party outside of its 53 Street headquarters. - Graeme McNaughton/NNSL photo

The street party included pipers from the Northwest Territories Pipe Band and culinary offerings from Wiseguy Foods and One of a Thai food vendors.

"A lot of our clients went home to rest up for the dance," said Lynn Elkin, the executive director for the Yellowknife Association for Community Living.

Elkin said the event, along with celebrating the organization's history, was a way to boost the association's profile in the city.

"It's a great way of reminding people of our support," said Elkin. "We're always sad to hear of people who sat at home for two or three years, not knowing there's support programs."

The organization got its start in 1962, when the parents of seven children made the decision that the students should have the opportunity for an education closer to home.

"The parents were determined for their children to have an education in Yellowknife, and not shipped off down south," said Elkin, referring to what was the standard practice at the time. "They didn't have as many options, but they made it work. They wanted their families to be part of the community."

The group, originally founded as the Retarded Children's Association, was created because the school system didn't have the means to support special needs children.

"We don't use that word anymore," Elkin said.

The association changed its name five or six times, establishing its current name 25 years ago.

The association grew to support not only Yellowknife clients, but also people from all over the NWT and Nunavut, with some families moving to the city to be with their children.

As children involved in the program got older and their needs changed, the program model shifted to offer more day programs, said Elkin.

"We wanted to provide a real education, not just having them sitting around. You couldn't just send them south, or let them sit in the basement all day," Elkin said. "Our goal is to get (clients) to the point where they can work and take care of themselves."

The association began to offer entrepreneurial workshops, including making ceramics in the late 1970s.

"Most of Yellowknife will remember all of the ceramics coming out of Abe Miller," said Elkin, of the 53 Street building where most of the work was done.

While ceramics are not much of a focus as it used to be, the building still houses the kiln.

The association also runs a summer cafe, which started in the late 1990s. The cafe used to prepare food in the fully-equipped kitchen in the Abe Miller building. However in recent years, the organization has partnered with Yellowknife businesses, such as Wise Guy Foods last summer.

Job skills training is the major focus of the association today.

"We're working now on finding people a job, or an opportunity to explore what they're interested in," said Elkin. "We're a little ahead of our national counterparts, where we're looking for real jobs for real pay. We're not looking for charity."

The association still operates its literacy program for all ages, which it has run in partnership with Aurora College, in the Abe Miller building.

The association expanded into a second building, the Community Living Centre, across the street last winter.

Most staff maintain part-time hours so that more money can be put into operations, Elkin said.

"We're so lucky that we have people who are this passionate. It's always rewarding to help families, and we get to do that every day."

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