The University College of the North's recreation leadership certificate program could be based in Thompson next year, if instructor Frederick Soucy has his way.
"I would like to bring it to Thompson," said Soucy, who currently offers the course in Split Lake after previously running it out of Cross Lake and Norway House. "That way anyone from across the North can come in."
Sixteen students are now in their second year of the 18-month program in Split Lake, says Soucy, with three of those travelling up from Winnipeg for the classroom component of the program, which runs for one week per month. The rest of the time, the students are employed in recreation-based job placements.
"By the time they graduate, they've gotten 18 different theory courses," says Soucy, and completed three different job placements.
They also attend four major conferences over the duration of the program, including the Northern Manitoba Recreation Association (NORMRA) conference that just took place in Thompson Nov. 12-13, as well as the Recreation Connections Manitoba conference in Winnipeg, the Northern Links conference put on by Aboriginal and Northern Affairs every September, and Rediscovery International in Victoria, B.C., an outdoor leadership-based training conference with more than 60 indigenous people from five countries attending.
"That's a major conference that they participate in," said Soucy, who adds that they are active participants in these events, which also give students contacts in their field that help prepare them for employment as recreation professionals. "At this year's [NORMRA] conference, I actually had them run a workshop. They get to network with other recreation professionals across the North, the province and the country."
But recreation is only one piece of the puzzle.
"The leadership component is just as important, if not more so," says Soucy, arguing that people cannot become leaders until they know themselves. "We really do a lot of self-analysis, self-development and self-growth. My job as the teacher is to give them the opportunities and encourage them to step up. It's up to them to walk through the opportunity, to take the challenge that I offer them."
Students currently in the program range from those who started right out of high school at the age of 18 to others who are in their 50s. Whatever experience they bring into the program, Soucy says his job is to help them progress.
"I take you from there and help you move forward," he said.
That movement, in Soucy's view, is essential, not just to the program, but to life.
"Life is moving forward," he says, so if you stay the same, you'll actually be losing ground.
"We all have a purpose in this life," says Soucy. "We all have a reason for being. If you can find out what your purpose is, you'll find bliss. That's when you can really find joy in your life. That's a big part of my program. That's what I push them to discover for themselves."
Most of the students who took the program in Cross Lake and Norway House are now either employed in recreation or pursuing their education further.
"I attribute that to the leadership aspect," says Soucy.
For more information about the UCN recreation leadership certificate program, contact Frederick Soucy by email at fsoucy@ucn.ca or by phone at 677-3869.
