Gibbs staff dispute government's allegations
by Kathy Ramsey - News Reporter
A Yukon News Archive story originally published November 6, 2000

Dolly Robertson and Heather Stevely, both employees of the Klondike Group Home, are frustrated. They're among 21 staffers given layoff notices on October 20 when Family and Children's Services cancelled Sandra Gibbs' contract to run the home. It's not only that they lost their jobs, they're angry because they weren't told why they will be laid off a couple of days before Christmas. "It was quite a surprise," said Stevely. The contract was yanked because of concerns about the health and safety of staff and youth at the home, said Social Services minister Don Roberts. However, that's news to the staff. "I've been here for two years and I've never felt once that my safety was an issue," said Stevely. "I would understand the whole thing if there were safety concerns," agreed Robertson, a six-year employee at Klondike. But there are no concerns, she added. "If you go and ask any of the workers right now if they feel safe in their jobs, they will say, Yes. I can assure you of that, and the same with the youth." A health and safety report, to comply with a Yukon Workers' Compensation Health and Safety Board order, has just been compiled, said Robertson, the group home's research development officer. The entire staff was interviewed for the report. What emerged, more than anything to do with personal safety, was a concern with Family and Children's Services administrative process, said Robertson. The rapid placement of youth in the home without a proper diagnosis or consideration for the home's existing residents were the issues the staff raised, she said. As well, they suggested there was a need to split the sexes into different homes, added Robertson. Now, the government plans to lower the number of youth in the home and work towards setting up separate homes for each gender. And that's troublesome, said Robertson. "We've been asking for these things for ages... why couldn't they give us that?" she asked. A government-run group home will cost $10,000 more a month, Roberts told the legislature this week. Yet the lack of adequate funding was a constant issue at Klondike, said Stevely and Robertson. Klondike's annual budget of $483,620 was significantly less than the government-run group home, they added. And the staff at Klondike didn't have benefits or wages comparable with other government employees because of budget constraints, they said. It made it hard to keep good staff. "Why not just increase Sandra's budget to cover for more workers, better-trained workers, workers who will hang around because they see it as a career position, not a stepping stone to a government job?" suggested Robertson. Last week, group home staffers met with Anne Westcott, the director of Family and Children's Services. But they were not happy with what they heard. "I came out of it still disgusted that nobody has actually told us what it is that's happened that caused the contract to be pulled," said Stevely. Neither Robertson nor Stevely will be applying for jobs at the new government-run home. "My ethics can only be stretched so far," said Robertson. "I don't agree with what they're doing, and I don't agree with a lot of the long-term case planning that they do. I see the effects of it. "The kids who end up at Klondike, it's a sad fact, but it's the end of the line, and we're left to pick up the pieces. "And then we're blamed for mismanagement. That irks me." And they wonder how the government will fill the 17 residential care positions it's advertising. Stevely said she feels badly for the workers who met with Westcott. "Because, basically, you're being told that there's this opportunity, we'll help you get these jobs, the money and benefits will be there, or you can choose to take the high road." And many of the laid-off staff, who were qualified to work in the home when Gibbs ran it, lack the diploma in child and youth development, or its equivalent, the government is demanding, said Stevely. However, several former employees are applauding the government's decision to terminate Gibbs' contract to run the Klondike home. "We're appalled that Sandra would try to blame all this on the government," said a spokesperson for the group. The five former staffers, who wish to remain anonymous, say they were frightened for their own safety, and that of the kids, while working at the home. There were few consequences for youth who endangered the safety of other children and staff, they said. And no action was ever taken when they approached Gibbs with their concerns, they said. The group also wrote a letter to both Roberts and Westcott in October to outline their concerns. "The basic thing we were hoping for is, if the government took it over, the youth would finally get some structure, there would be consequences for their behavior and that the youth that shouldn't be there, that threaten staff and other youth, would be removed." "Some people aren't cut out to do this" kind of work, Stevely said of the former staffers. "We have deprived kids, we have kids who've been sexually abused, we have kids with big issues. On Halloween night, though, the kids all had a pretty good time, she continued. "But, if we expect that all the time, then we're setting ourselves and the kids up for a fall, 'cause they're going to sense that they didn't meet our expectations. But I don't think that's a reason to say it isn't safe here." Part of a series.