The GNWT is offering a special training program for anyone who wishes to learn one of the various Indigenous languages spoken across the NWT.
This Mentor-Apprentice Program offers students a chance to learn an Indigenous language with the help of a fluent speaker by performing everyday activities while only using the target language. The aim of the program is to increase the apprentice’s ability to understand the language by “living life in the language.”
The student and mentor must agree to spend much of their time together, estimated to be between seven to ten hours per week over the course of the program. Mentor-apprentice pairs complete 200 hours of language immersion over approximately nine months starting in May 2024. Pairs must submit regular reporting logs demonstrating their Indigenous language learning.
Pairs are paid for their time in the program with funding from the Government of the Northwest Territories and their Indigenous Government. Ten pairs from each Indigenous Government will be selected to participate.
Training is provided for:
- Dene Kǝdǝ́
- Dëne Sųłıné
- Dene Zhatıé
- Dinjii Zhu’ Ginjik
- Inuinnaqtun
- Inuvialuktun
- nēhiyawēwin
- Tłı̨chǫ
Anyone over the age of 18 is eligible to apply. Priority will be given to Indigenous applicants who live in the NWT, and applicants who commit to sharing their language with others upon completing the program. This includes teachers, child care workers, parents, or those actively engaged in language programming in their community.
Mentors and students must apply together in pairs, and send their completed application to Indigenous_languages@gov.nt.ca.
Application forms can be found by clicking here.
