Natasha Green

Youth Empowered Speakers Program

closed
Up to $38,320
May 1, 2024 - April 30, 2025

Investing in our next generation of language leaders with a program that combines mentor-apprentice learning and funding for post-secondary education.

Are you a B.C. First Nations student age 18-35 who is interested in learning your language while working towards a rewarding career as a language immersion teacher, early childhood immersion educator or community language revitalization leader? Start your application to FPCC’s Youth Empowered Speakers (YES) program today!

The YES program provides training and paid work internships to pursue your education. It also includes funding for tuition and living expenses in addition to mentor-apprentice language learning. The goal of the program is for youth to learn their language while preparing for a career in language revitalization in one of three streams:

  1. Early Childhood Immersion Educator Stream for ECE students alongside their education
  2. Language Immersion Teacher Stream for BEd. students alongside their education
  3. Community Language Revitalizationist Stream for students in a degree/program (which should be linked to language revitalization) alongside their education 

For those over the age of 35, there are additional Mentor-Apprentice immersion learning opportunities on the Mentor-Apprentice Program page.

The YES program is for B.C. First Nations youth ages 18-35 years old living on or off-reserve. Participants must be studying Early Childhood Education, pursuing a Bachelor of Education degree or pursuing a degree/program that is linked to a career in language revitalization. Youth must be able to provide proof of acceptance to a post-secondary institution.

Note: YES funding is available for youth proportional to the current funding supports they have in place for their post-secondary education. For youth who have no other funding sources, FPCC will fund up to $20,000 in tuition and living expenses. For youth who are receiving band, bursary, and/or external funding totalling less than $20,000, the YES participant is eligible for top-up amounts bringing them to a total of $20,000 of funding support across all sources.

Funding for the Youth Empowered Speakers Program is provided by the Department of Canadian Heritage as a result of the Government of Canada’s Indigenous Languages Act and the Government of British Columbia through the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.

We are here to support you!

If you have any questions or would like assistance with your grant application please contact the program staff listed at the bottom of this page. FPCC staff are available to answer questions about grant eligibility, project proposal ideas, which program or grant may be best for your project and more. You may also contact an Outreach Coach for information on project planning, resources and information sessions.

Funding Process

We are here to ensure that the funding application process is as easy as possible and offer a convenient online portal so applicants can more easily apply for programs and submit reports. For additional information please visit the Funding Process page.

Click the image to enlarge

Funding process infogrpahic

Program Contact

Beckie Wesley

Beckie is a Language Program Associate working with the Youth Empowered Speakers Program. Beckie is a member of Snuneymuxw First Nation. She has a background in Management and Operations as well as a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care.