MBiz

I n the Interlake town of Arborg and the neighbouring RM of Bifrost-Riverton, creating opportunities for adult career education will stimulate the local economy and help to keep families close to home. That's why the communities are developing the Central Interlake Training Facility, which is preparing to host its first class of students in a six-month Health Care Aide program. The facility, modelled after the Fieldstone Ventures education centre in Ashern, will offer a wide variety of community-driven courses, as well as a range of employment services such as resume writing, job search assistance, job skills and interview preparation. "We want a hub where people can go to, whether they be employers or people looking for jobs," says Pat McCallum, community development officer with the Arborg Bifrost Community Development Corporation, which will partner with the Arborg and District Chamber of Commerce to manage the facility. The centre's catchment area includes the municipalities of Armstrong, Fisher, Gimli, Bifrost-Riverton, Rockwood and nearby Peguis First Nation and Fisher River Cree Nation. It will focus on adult learning and literacy, continuing education and training, and post-secondary education. Some courses will be coordinated with other educational institutions such as Red River College, Assiniboine Community College and Brandon University. Part of the impetus for the training centre was the need for a personal care home in Arborg. "We saw that the population was aging," says Chamber president Owen Eyolfson. "The Baby Boomers were aging and getting to the point where they'll need more and more care." Access to care depends on individual needs and the availability of space, so some residents may end up going as far as Lac du Bonnet to find an available personal care home. "People can be driving an hour or two hours to see their loved ones," notes Eyolfson. The community is working to get support for an 80-bed personal care home so that those needing greater care would be able to remain in the Interlake. The goal is to create what Eyolfson calls "an aging-in-place campus" with the new care home adjacent to the existing assisted-living residence. That way, as an individual's care needs increase, they could just move next door instead of out of the community. Currently, the Arborg Senior Housing Corporation owns a 32-bed and a 16-bed facility, plus a three-plex, with supportive and assisted living spaces for seniors. A new personal care home will require a large number of health care aides and licensed practical nurses. Rather than CAREERS in Community Care New Arborg training centre has multiple benefits By Bob Armstrong CENTRAL INTERLAKE TRAINING FACILITY

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