FIRST NATION, SOCIETY TACKLE SUBSTANCE ABUSE

A two-year process is underway for the Liard First Nation and the
Liard Aboriginal Women's Society to come up with a plan to deal with
substance abuse and detoxification in the community thanks to $321,000
in funding from the Northern Strategy Trust.

It's an initiative that's been needed for a long time as the
territory's southeast community has continued to deal with the impact
of addiction.

"It's been one of our struggles," Ann Maje Raider, the women's society
executive director, said in a recent interview.

While the project will publicly kick off with a dinner at the Watson
Lake Community Centre later this month, Raider noted the committee
struck to oversee the plan has already held one meeting to begin the
work.

"People were so enthusiastic," she said.

The committee will be looking for a lot of public input on what ideas
and visions would work for the community, Raider said.

Surveys, forums (including one directed specifically at youth),
workshops, storytelling sessions, a world cafe, video corners, a web
site and other communication tools will be used to get a range of input.

Raider expects there will likely be many people involved who dealt
with their own addictions in the past and know what has worked best
for them.

A three-year strategic plan will be developed along with an
implementation plan.

The women's society will do the planning strategy to determine the
best way to move forward with a community-based holistic approach to
substance abuse treatment and detoxification.

"The planning strategy will detail how best to use existing human and
financial resources, programs, services and facilities and will
determine how gaps can be resolved," reads a statement from the society.

"The plan will address the needs of all residents of the
region."

The objectives for the planning process include:

- - developing a clear, written plan that has support from a
cross-section of people in the area;

- - facilitating the involvement of the community, local agencies and
NGOs in the planning and empowering confidence about finding local
solutions to local concerns;

- - expanding governance capacity and control through hands-on learning,
innovative decision tools, numerous engagement methods and active
research while maintaining gender and demographic diversity in a
culturally-sensitive way;

- - increasing awareness and understanding about social and health
issues and how they relate to substance abuse, treatment and options
for regaining control;

- - maximizing opportunities to build on existing resources;
and

- - communicating the results of the planning strategy on a regular
basis throughout the project.

The kick-off dinner is set for 5:30 p.m. June 26 at the Watson Lake
Recreation Centre.