LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
When Kristen Tanche was a young girl, her dream was to help people as a counsellor or psychologist.

Kristen Tanche: Former Liidlii Kue First Nation councillor Kristen Tanche is taking the two-year social work program at Aurora College in Yellowknife.

As she grew up, she fell into office administration instead - a field she excelled at and enjoyed but fell short of what she knew she wanted to do for her life.

At the time, Tanche says, office administrative work was simply what was available in Fort Simpson. Training on-the-job, she built a career working in finance, sales and administration.

Tanche is a familiar face for anyone interested in the tourism sector in Fort Simpson. For the past five years, she has worked for Ted Grant at Simpson Air, promoting tours - and thus, the village.

Now, she is leaving it all behind - including her status as a councillor for Liidlii Kue First Nation - to pursue her lifelong dream.

"Working for Simpson Air, (Grant) let me take time off work often for education purposes, to take the Dechinta program," she said.

Dechinta describes itself as an off-the-grid, land-based program, credited through the University of Alberta. Its programming is specifically geared toward Northern and indigenous people.

"After taking Dechinta, I realized more and more that I didn't really want to do office administration. I'd rather pursue my dream as a child and work more with people," she said.

"I've been wanting to go back to school for a while . (to) get into a different field of work, mainly helping people. Something meaningful."

Last week, Tanche left Fort Simpson for Yellowknife, where she will be enrolled in Aurora College's two-year social work program. On Sept. 6, she started orientation.

The program results in a diploma in social work, and the credits from the program can be applied toward a bachelor of social work degree at various institutions, if the student so wishes.

According to the college, the program focuses on the systems and social issues within the Northwest Territories.

Despite the allure of following her dream, though, Tanche admits leaving behind the career she'd built and her position as councillor was a difficult decision to make.

"The membership voted me in, so obviously they believed in me to have that position," she said.

"It was kind of tough for me to give up all my positions in the community to leave. It was a big decision."

Aside from her work with Simpson Air and Nahanni Mountain Lodge, Tanche sat on some of Liidlii Kue First Nation's committees as a council member. She also sat on Fort Simpson's district education authority as well as more committees within that organization.

But with Fort Simpson in her rear view mirror, Tanche is also looking forward to the contribution she will be able to make to the village when she returns.

And there's no doubt in her mind she will return, given her husband will remain in the village and that they just recently bought a house.

"I definitely plan to come home," she said.

"I have a really supportive family, and I wouldn't be able to do this without the help of my husband and the support of the community."

When she does return, Tanche knows where she wants her focus to be.

"I'd really like to see more on-the-land type healing programs . that amalgamate counselling and healthy well-being with on-the-land activities like hunting or camping," she said.

"With my background with Dechinta, and once I'm done school, I'd like to become more actively involved in those types of programs, either creating them or maintaining them."

It is too soon to say what those programs might look like, she added.

"I'm sure my view will change quite a bit once I'm done school," she said. "I'll come back with more to offer, especially with a bit more education and experience."

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