By Andrew de Souza

Stories of 2010, #9 Fire Mentor Program cancelled

Dec 23, 2010 | 10:12 AM

When The Prince Albert Fire Department’s Fire Mentor program for at-risk youth was cancelled it was a blow to the community.

In November, members of the Saskatchewan Professional Firefighters Local 510, which represents the city’s fire fighters, voted for members to stop participating in the program.

Union president Lloyd Zwack said it was the last resort of the union after years of unrest.

“For the past three years in the program, we have brought forward to the management, shortcomings and issues that we see as a part of this program and unfortunately it’s fallen on deaf ears,” said union president Lloyd Zwack.

The decision affected many people. For Dawn Robinson, executive director at the Bernice Sayese Community Centre, which helps select the youths, it was a big hit without any warning.

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“For somebody to come in and not have the knowledge and background of the program and come and shut it down on their terms without asking the questions or looking at us to adapt the program in a way that they feel comfortable — it doesn’t cut it,” she said.

“The youths are supposed to be starting in January. They all know they’re starting, the excitement’s there and now we have to turn around and tell them no.”

The current group of students was selected in September and were since then, engaged in counselling and training to get them ready for the program.

The cost of each student is about $2500. The fire department began raising that money at the beginning of 2010.

A group of researchers from several Saskatchewan Universities who began investigating the impacts the program was having the community and how those lessons could be translated to other programs. That research can no longer move forward.

The Aboriginal People’s Television Network had commissioned a six-part mini-series on the program set to begin filming in January after more than a year of planning. The program had a budget of several hundred thousand dollars – that’s now been cancelled also.

According to Chief Karpluk, the vote from the union was a blow to the department. While he said he respects the vote of the union, he added it still hurt a lot of have to do so.

“This is a program that’s changing lives. This is bigger than any one person — it’s about the team.

This isn’t just the fire department. This is a group of organizations in this city, outside this city that support this program,” said Karpluk.

“Obviously it’s disappointing. There’s nothing better than bragging about the good your guys are doing but now I’ve got to go back and hand back the funding that I’ve already taking — that’s embarrassing and disappointing.”

Karpluk still has hope than an agreement with the union can be reached, but he said he fears taking a break for a year might be enough to kill it.

adesouza@panow.com

Previous stories from 2010's top 10:

Stories of 2010, #10 Relay for Life success