• Nutritionist came to help with the Community Kitchen
• Health and Social Services – counselling
• Tree of Peace – Drug and Alcohol awareness
• Family Counselling Centre – Parenting
• Victim Assistance Coordinator
• Elders
• NWT Status of Women Council
• The NWT Literacy Council – family literacy.

Each week we ran a parenting program and counselling session for participants. Learners could choose to attend or to work on academic subjects. Most participants chose to attend the sessions.

We also had an advisory committee made up of community members that helped us make decisions about the program.

The FOCUS program evolved from a program in Vancouver. However, the instructors were able to “northernize” it to meet the needs of the participants. The program was truly participant-driven. They decided on what topics they would like for life skills, upgrading etc. The instructors then developed a program that would meet their needs.