The National Ambassador Youth Forum

French for the Future

Project Description

Becoming an ambassador of the French language their school and in their community? This is the challenge that French for the Future gives to 30 young people across Canada each year.

Background

Every year since 2004, the National Ambassador Youth Forum, or FNJA, brings together 30 grade 10 and 11 students from across Canada for five jam-packed days of fun, interactive workshops and activities centered on the importance of bilingualism. Students gather to share their experiences and to discuss the challenges and advantages of speaking both of Canada’s official languages, while also receiving intensive training in leadership and communications – important skills needed to become an ambassador of the French language in their community.

Objectives

By bringing together bilingual youth from all over the country, French for the Future aims to:

create a space that encourages dialogue and the exchange of ideas while fostering understanding among francophone and Francophile youth from diverse parts of the country.
Celebrate bilingualism and emphasize the positive cultural and career potential resulting from French language education
Help participants discover the francophone community and culture in the NAYF’s host city
Educate youth on today’s Canadian Francophonie and the value of linguistic duality across the country
Encourage students to act as ambassadors for French in their community by committing to organizing activities during the following school year.

Results

More than 500 ambassadors since the program’s creation in 2004
Thousands of students reached through activities organized by our ambassadors year after year
Youth that are confident in their ability to communicate in French, and who include bilingualism in their identity building
Networks of interpersonal relationships are developed between French as a First Language students and French as a Second Language students
Youth that appreciates and values Canada’s linguistic duality

Videos

Want to Know More About This Project?

French for the Future aims to promote Canada’s official bilingualism and the advantages of learning and communicating in French to grade 7 to grade 12 students in Canada. Founded in 1997 by John Ralston Saul and Lisa Balfour Bowen, French for the Future reaches thousands of Francophone and Francophile students through its many activities and programs, offered both on the local and national level.

Want to Share Your Own Project?

Have you launched an inspiring project bringing our linguistic communities together? Have you started an initiative that connects Anglophones and Francophones? Let us know by sending us an email. We want to share and promote innovative and unifying projects from across Canada!