18 - Sunday, May 19, 1985 - North Shore News Grant aids native labor B.C’S OPEN Learning In- stitute (OL!) has received a $21,900 grant from Health and Welfare Canada to launch a unified educational program for workers employed by native Indian Bands. The Institute will develop a pilot program of distance learning (enhanced cor- respondence) courses to solve problenis of training Alcohol and Drug workers, Com- munity Health represen- talives and Band social workers. The new program will con- sist of distance education packages mailed to students’ homes and small group workshops held in local band areas. The packages will contain audio tapes and bookiets featuring extensive illustrated material in keeping with the oral tradition of the Indian culture. Workshops will con- sist of five or six people plus an instructor. The entire pro- gram will span four learning phases over two years. To date, lack of coordina- tion in training programs has drawn criticism from both workers and Indian bands. Though a variety of com- mon skills and knowledge is required of Drug, Health and Social workers, training takes place in three separate and non-interchangeable programs. Transfer between jobs had demanded repetition of com- mon material. As much of the training now oceurs out- side the Indian community, desired Band involvement is minimal. Further, Band employces in training are now absent from their jobs, on average, three months out of the first and se- cond years of employment. Living and travel expenses tend to be prohibitive for members wishing to qualify as employees of their own com- munities. These and other pro- blems prompted development of the new training system. In the new program, a com- mon core of studies will achieve desired unity of train- ing, easing worker movement between jobs within native communities. Specialist train- ing will also be provided to the three distinct job functions. The courses will entitle students to transferable credits leading to more advanced studies if desired, It is hoped that provision of training in Indian com- munities will encourage Band members to become involved in community work and pro- vide’ Band officials with greater influence in ad- ninistration ef the program. OL] expects to have the pilot project ready for submission to Health and Welfare Canada by Autumn 1985, r. M. Neveklovska - is ossed to announce the. opening ‘of -her~. Dental Practice:in association’ wi ~ pppolttntts available aifey Cee Mall h Includes Thursday: & Friday evenings > and all day:Saturda: 24 Hour Emergency Service The Canadian Red Cross Society r Wise confronted with a life and death A head-on collision happens ina split secand. There's no time tes think. Only enough time tw react. But how? If you've taken the Young Drivers of Canada course. you'll know how to react to avoid a head: on collision, And how to use available space tu escape serious injury or even death. Through exctusive classroom insteuction, we train our students how to form defensive driving habits, We then train cach student to apply these defensive driving hahits instinctively when situation. This year. over 30,000 new drivers will learn how to avoid a head-on collision through our course. Be one of them. For more information contact your local Young Drivers of Canada Centre.