Isuarsivik focusing on stability after first year in new centre

One year after moving into its new state-of-the-art facility, the Isuarsivik recovery centre in Kuujjuaq is pivoting its strategy for the future.

The focus will now be on stability and sustainability.

Director general Etua Snowball, shown third from the right, trusts that Isuarsivik will find stability in the future as the centre’s first year in the new building wraps up. (Photo by Cedric Gallant)

“First year in, we are learning about this new building we are in, we are learning how it works and how much it takes to run it,” director general Etua Snowball said in an interview Friday.

“We are stabilizing now.”

Isuarsivik is a non-profit organization offering an addiction recovery program based on traditional knowledge and modern techniques

At its annual general meeting held Wednesday, directors presented a strategic plan for 2024 through 2027. It focuses on making the organization more financially sustainable, fully developing its culturally responsive care, stabilizing and increasing efficiency, and creating a healthy and united team.

Isuarsivik’s annual report included results of the three 60-day cycles it has worked through since opening. Between each cycle there is time built in for debriefing and preparation for the next cycle.

In total, there were 61 guests and 16 families that enrolled in the program. Just under 79 per cent of them completed it.

“We aim to have 100 per cent,” said Snowball, adding “we know that people will not succeed all the way sometimes.”

He said sometimes for people, life gets in the way and guests cannot complete the month-long program.

Even if they don’t finish, he said, Isuarsivik makes sure to follow up with them.

“I think in the state we are in, it is the average,” he said. “As we grow within the coming years, I am hoping it will be better, it is something we can foresee.”

For the variables they can control, Snowball said they will focus on growing their inventory of activities and facilities for guests to use and take part in. That includes a workshop, a garage for mechanics courses, and wood shops.

“These are things that will help a lot in our future,” he said.

Isuarsivik’s financial reports show it ended its fiscal year with a $1.8 million deficit. But with its investments and money that has been put aside, Snowball said the deficit will stabilize.

“It’s going to even out,” he said. “Making sure we are stabilized in the future is not a concern.”

Most of Isuarsivik’s funding comes from Makivvik and the Nunavik Board of Health and Social Services. Combined, they provide more than $6.2 million to the centre, which is around 60 per cent of its total budget.

Isuarsivik has to reapply each year to those organizations for financial support. The rest of its funding comes from the provincial and federal governments.

“These are things we have to keep on top of, and we need to find other solutions as much as possible to find direct funding,” said Snowball.

“These are things that we want to have for our future, to make sure we are financially stable.”

Another issue Isuarsivik faced in its first year is staff retention and hiring. Snowball said the agency provides great benefits to both local and southern hires, but the difficulties lie with finding the right fit for the job.

“With these new programs [offered at Isuarsivik], people find it harder, and it is not always what is expected,” he said.

“A lot of people who work here work from the heart,” he added. “I think it is just a matter of time that we have all our positions filled.”

Snowball acknowledged Isuarsivik’s first year in its new facility included some issues to be dealt with.

“We are in the process of fine tuning and having the proper people in the right places,” he said.