In a remote community in the Northwest Territories, population 2400 approximately. The community had little industry, a community college and primarily Government jobs. As a Community Empowerment Officer is was my job make the impossible possible.
The goal was to create employment opportunities in a community where there was little resources, high unemployment and some social challenges. The dream was to build an Elders Community Village, where local elders could spend their summers by the river.
Partnerships were established between the Metis Nation, Salt River First Nations and Town of Fort Smith, with full support of the MLA. Funding was pooled and the project worked out on several levels.
Metis Nation and Salt River First Nations provided the land next to river, it was fully forested.
The project was designed on three levels:
The Job Creation Partnership program was designed for the construction of the cabins. Participants would learn how to design and build a cabin from the logs harvested from the land donated. This was a six month work project with the hopes that the participants would enter the local college carpentry program.
Once the participants harvested the trees for construction, the Heavy Equipment Operators program from the local college moved in to construct the foundation for the Elders Community Village.
The Summer Student Landscaping program was launched, targeting youth 18-30 years. As the cabins were being constructed, this program trained youth how to design and landscape the Elders Community Village.
An additional Summer Student project was created, targeting youth 15-18 years, to learn basic employment skills by providing general labour work for Elders in the community. There were full-time and part-time position for eight weeks, doing general duties like mowing lawns and yard work.
Five cabins were built that summer, and the community expanded on the project the following year. Approximately 100 jobs were created in the community directly and indirectly from this initiative.
