The Yukon Native Language Centre honoures 11 graduates

YNLC-Youth Immersion Program Graduates - January 2024 (Photo Submitted)

Youth Today: Language Leaders Tomorrow language immersion program aims to support first nation youths to develop language proficiency, and empower them to become language champions thereby carrying their language into the future. 

11 First Nation youths have successfully graduated from the Youth Today: Language Leaders Tomorrow language immersion program.

Youth Today: Language Leaders Tomorrow language immersion program aims to support first nation youths to develop language proficiency, and empower them to become language champions thereby carrying their language into the future. 

According to a media release, funding for the two-year program provided wages for the youth over the course of the program which enabled them to study their Yukon First Nation language full time, addressing a common barrier for language immersion programs. 

The Yukon Native Language Centre honoured students the 11 graduates produced who are now intermediate-advanced level speakers in either Lingít (Tlingit) or Dákwänje (Southern Tutchone).

CYFN Grand Chief Peter Johnston said that this initiative has not only produced highly competent language speakers, but has also nurtured the leadership potential of the youths to spearhead language revitalization efforts in their home communities in the years ahead. It has been a great pleasure to observe the transformative power of language revitalization in action, he said. 

The program was funded and supported by Yukon First Nations including Teslin Tlingit Council, Ta’an Kwäch’än Council and Kwänlin Dun First Nation, along with the Council of Yukon First Nations, the Yukon First Nation Education Directorate, and the Government of Canada.

A program evaluation is underway along with funding applications to support a second offering of the program in fall 2024.

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