FNJA - The National Ambassador Youth Forum

JOIN THE RANKS OF OUR PASSIONATE AND DRIVEN BILINGUAL AMBASSADORS!

Open to Grade 10 and 11 students (secondaire 3 or 4 in Quebec), the National Ambassador Youth Forum (FNJA) brings together 35 students from across Canada, enrolled in French programs.

The National Ambassador Youth Forum is being held in a different city every year. This year, immerse yourself in a 6-day adventure in Ottawa, ON, from August 3 to 8: a dynamic week of workshops, activities, and unforgettable experiences centered around the significance of bilingualism. Travel, accommodation and all activities are free for participants.

The 2024 edition was held in the vibrant city of Edmonton, AB. From project management to leadership, and a sprinkle of games and activities, every moment was an opportunity for growth!

WHY BECOME A FRENCH FOR THE FUTURE AMBASSADOR?

Tap into your linguistic abilities and build confidence in French
Start your leadership journey and learn to turn your project ideas into reality
Connect with fellow francophones and francophiles nationwide!

Your mission as an ambassador is to promote the French language and official bilingualism in your school throughout the year following the FNJA by organizing activities related to French.

Before you start your year as an ambassador, you will attend a free week of training in August. The Forum not only equips you for your role as an ambassador but also provides a unique opportunity to foster connections and friendships with other participants.

HOW TO APPLY?

To submit an application to participate in French for the Future’s 2025 FNJA, students must first fill out the participant registration form. Then, they must have their sponsor fill out the application support form:

Participant Registration Form

Each participant must fill out a 250-word “Motivation” section in the Participant Registration Form. The participant must answer two questions:

Why do you want to become a French for the Future Ambassador?
Why do you want to participate in the FNJA?

It is highly recommended that you write a draft in a separate document, and then copy and paste it into the registration form.

Moreover, we also ask for a video link as part of the Participant Registration Form. In this video, the participant must:

present him/herself in French (provide their first name, last name, school, city, province, and language category, i.e. French first language or French second language)
in French, answer the question : Si tu étais choisi comme ambassadeur, quelle activité pour promouvoir le français voudrais-tu mettre en place dans ton école ou ta communauté?

You must host the video on a video platform such as Youtube, Dailymotion, or Vimeo. It must not be more than 1 minute in length and must be public as the selected ambassadors will have their video published on French for the Future’s website.

Application Support Form

Each participant must have a sponsor to support his/her application, from his/her own community. The sponsor may not be a parent or guardian. This person will provide support to the future ambassador, and commit him or herself to:

Provide support to the future ambassador in the organization of activities to promote the French language for the 2025-2026 school year.
Act as a contact person for French for the Future. We would contact him or her 2 or 3 times throughout the year, to provide feedback on the ambassador’s commitment level.

N.B – Applications for the 2025 FNJA will not be considered complete and will therefore not be accepted unless the Application Support Form is filled out by a sponsor (who may not be a parent or guardian) chosen by the candidate. The Participant Registration Form must be completed by the candidate him or herself.

Link to the Application Support Form

Frequently Asked Questions

What level of French do I need to participate?

You need to be able to follow a workshop in French, as the activities will be offered in French only. We welcome students from French Immersion, Francophone schools, Core French, Basic French, etc.

Is it difficult to make friends at the forum?

Thanks to the many games and workshops in teams, you'll have no trouble fitting in! Many ambassadors remain friends long after the forum is over.

How much does it cost to take part in the trip?

Travel, accommodation, meals and all activities are provided free of charge to the 35 selected participants.

What does it mean to be an ambassador?

After the forum, participants are invited to organize a minimum of 2 activities in French in their community to fulfill their mandate as ambassadors. Possible activities are varied and flexible. Some examples include running a French club in your school, writing an article for our blog, organizing a French game night, volunteering at one of our local forums, etc.

What type of food is provided at the forum?

Most meals are held on the University of Ottawa campus. Options will be offered to those with specific dietary restrictions, which you will be asked to specify on a form that we will send to the participants selected.

How are participants supervised during their stay?

As soon as they arrive at the airport, a French for the Future team member will greet them. Throughout their stay, adults will be responsible for supervising them and ensuring their well-being. A daily curfew is in place, and outings outside the university campus are supervised by our animation team and members of the French for the Future national staff. All adults present are required to have a criminal background check for working with vulnerable people, and receive training before participants arrive.

What is a sponsor?

A sponsor is a person who is neither a family member nor a friend. This person is often a teacher in your school (French or otherwise), or a community member such as those in religious places, an association or a community center. The most important thing is that this person can help you organize activities in French and support you in your ambassador role. It's important to tell them about the National Ambassador’s Youth Forum and why you're applying. Your sponsor must submit the application form for your application to be considered complete.

Where do we stay?

Generally speaking, we'll be staying in the host university's residences. More information will be shared with selected candidates, such as what to bring, the exact location of residences, etc.