Certificate in Indigenous Language Revitalization Award

About the award

Continuing Studies at UVic is pleased to offer the Certificate in Indigenous Language Revitalization (CILR) Award, made possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor to support Indigenous learners in meeting their educational goals.

This award is for current learners in the Certificate in Indigenous Language Revitalization program and will be awarded every year in the fall academic term. The total amount of this award is $1,500 and it may be divided between more than one applicant. Students may apply to utilize the award for various expenses. Examples of these expenses include, but are not limited to:

• Travel to attend and participate in CILR course offerings
• Expenses such as food, accommodation, childcare, or course supplies
• Tuition to attend CILR courses
• Additional expenses and/or Indigenous supplies to engage in community language revitalization activities in alignment with a CILR course

Past award recipients

Congratulations to Tiara Opissinow, Cindy Ann Rennie, and Iokarenhtha Thomas, recipients of the 2023 awards!

Congratulations to Makee Kakee and Barbara Ballantyne, recipients of the 2022 awards!

Congratulations Caroline Ipeelie, recipient of the 2021 award! 

Award committee and guidelines

The award committee will review the submissions and the recipient(s) will be notified by early January. The committee will consist of at least three of the four following representatives:

• Two representatives from Language, Arts and Culture Programs
• One representative from the En’owkin Centre
• One representative from the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures, Faculty of Humanities, CILR Faculty Advisor or delegate

The committee guidelines are as follows:

• The committee may allocate the award to more than one recipient. 
• The committee may re-open the call upon first review of applications and set an extended submission date.
• The award is limited to Indigenous learners and to students who have successfully completed one course within the CILR program at the Division of Continuing Studies. 

CILR background

The University of Victoria has provided educational programs in the area of Indigenous language revitalization dating back to the 1970s, and this has become an area of excellence in research and teaching for the university. Beginning in 2005, the CILR program was developed by the Department of Linguistics, the Division of Continuing Studies, and the En'owkin Centre. Since then, the program has worked with Indigenous communities and organizations to develop the knowledge and skills required to support language revitalization. The goal of the certificate program is to develop understanding of the complex dynamics of language loss, maintenance and recovery, while also providing practical strategies for work in Indigenous communities to reclaim and revitalize threatened languages. Learners engage in dynamic learning experiences, and this award will assist in keeping education accessible to Indigenous learners.