NIIGAANENDADAA - MENTOR-LEARNER PROGRAM
RRDSB, SayITFirst, and Seven Generations Education Institute have co-developed this program to help learners achieve higher levels of conversational skills and comprehension in Anishinaabemowin upon graduation. This program has been created to support students wishing to pursue careers which would benefit from having Anishinaabemowin as a skill i.e. Education, Early Childhood Education, Social Work, Health Sciences, etc.
Students in Grades 9, 10 and 11
who are enrolled in Anishinaabemowin for the 2025-26 school year are invited to apply for the Mentor-Learner Program. We are also opening this up to students in Rainy River High School and Northern Lakes High School who have a passion and desire to learn the language.
Students will work to complete 120 hours of an instructor-led computer-based program in Anishinaabemowin.
Once the computer-based training modules are completed the students will be paired with a fluent speaker from their home community in order to further develop conversational fluency in the language. Both instructor-led training and working with a fluent speaker will be scheduled in agreement with the student and the instructor/fluent speaker.
Start date for next cohort: February 2, 2026
Application Deadline: November 27, 2025
Application form
Rate of pay: $16.60/hour
Time: 15 hours per week
Location:
Virtual - The first phase of this program is accessible to any learner with reliable computer and internet access. The second phase of the program will be online and/or in person with a fluent speaker.
Selection: 10 learners will be selected through a review of their completed application, an interview, and academic standing.
Commitments: Participants in the Mentor/Learner program must be willing to make a commitment to learning and speaking Anishinaabemowin for 15 hours per week and be enrolled in Anishinaabemowin classes at Fort Frances High School each year until graduation. Learners will commit to at least 36 months of program participation over the next three years.
Please contact Niigaanigaabawiik Carissa Copenace for more information: [email protected]