Girls' group home gets fresh start
GN hopes to slowly return clients to Nunavut from the south a few at a time
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Monday, June 19, 2017
NUNAVUT
The Ilagiittugut Centre for Youth, which closed nine months ago when the contract with its provider ended, was renovated at a cost of $350,000 and a new provider will run the eight-bed therapeutic facility beginning this month.
The kitchen and dining area of the newly renovated Ilagiittugut Centre for Youth have been redesigned to create a more open environment for cooking and eating. - Michele LeTourneau/NNSL photo |
"As you can see, the recent renovations completed on June 1 have created a warm, welcoming, and safe home environment for the youth while they receive the necessary programs and services," said Family Services Minister Johnny Mike at a small event at the centre for community members and the media June 9.
"The renovations addressed the presence of asbestos in the building, security issues related to the windows and doors, structural changes, re-painting, and the replacement of flooring and furniture and appliances."
But more importantly, said Mike, the newly renovated home will mean more clients can be repatriated to Nunavut. As of May 10, 2017, there were 57 children or youth receiving residential care out of territory. Thirty-six of those are in group homes.
"Repatriation planning for female clients out-of-territory and for the former clients has been completed and we already have a wait-list of youth who can be repatriated from facilities out-of-territory," said Mike.
Atlantic Youth Inc., which has operated a six-bed therapeutic centre for boys in Cambridge Bay since 2014, will provide 24-hour care for female youth between the ages of 12 and 19.
The Office of the Representative for Children and Youth has been monitoring the status of the three clients who were living at the centre prior to renovations nine months ago.
"(The office) ensured they received appropriate services during the temporary suspension of services," said Tierney.
TL Johannesson, who will manage the home for Atlantic Youth, said incoming clients will have staggered arrivals.
"The first week we'll do two or three. After that we'll do one a week until we're full, to get our feet under us and to make sure we're solid - not just throw eight kids in here," Johannesson said, adding the girls will need time to build rapport with each other and the staff.
The staff is a mix of five fly-in youth care workers from all over Canada on 10-week rotations, one clinician on a six-week rotation, as well as 20 local staff, full- and part-time.
"It's 24/7 so we've got four staff on all the time. It's intense," she said. "We'll have a daily schedule. During the school year, you get up, do your hygiene, have breakfast. Breakfast will be made with the girls. It's going to be very interactive, cook together, learn that life skill.
"They can come home for lunch or not. We'll help them make a lunch. Back to school in the afternoon. After school, they get a little bit of free time. Then we get into homework."
In addition, there will be programming every evening rooted in the evidence-based Circle of Courage model.
"Seven days a week. We're programming heavy, so the kids are always learning doing something every single day. Whether that's art therapy, cultural programming, getting out on the land, bringing people in to do beadwork and carving. We really want to make sure it's stays culturally relevant and traditional," said Johannesson.
Clinical therapists will run group therapy.
Fridays will be for fun.
The home has a membership at the pool, "so we can do fun things and it's not all treatment."
The home also has a discrete suite, complete with kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, where elders or visiting family members can occasionally reside.
How long a girl stays depends on them.
"We don't want kids growing up in group care. It's not healthy for anyone. So our job will be to stabilize, reintegrate them with their families, hopefully, and get them back into the community," said Johannesson.
The home should be full and in the swing of things by the time school begins at the end of summer.
