Linguistic Security Committee of BC

WHERE

British Columbia

WHEN

From September 1st 2026 to June 30th 2027

AGE

15-25 years old

10 participants

Your contact : sarah@cjfcb.com

SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION!

Would you like to join the Linguistic Security Committee?

This year, choose your own adventure on the committee! You can get involved by leading workshops, giving feedback on everything related to the committee and its projects, creating informative posts for our social media, or a combination of those options!

You have until June 30th to submit your application.

Here are the steps to follow!

Click on the “Sign up” button at the top of the page.
Log in to your profile or create an account if you don't already have one.
In the “My events” section, select the form «Recrutement du Comité Sécurité linguistique 2026/2027» and complete it.

Questions? You can read the committee's Q&A below this section, or consult the document outlining our event registration process.

You can also contact Sarah, the Linguistic Security Committee Coordinator, at sarah@cjfcb.com.

FAQ

Got more questions?

: As a member, you will attend monthly-ish meetings online for discussions related to the activities of the Linguistic Security Committee. This year, you can choose to get involved by facilitating workshops, giving feedback on everything related to the committee and its projects, making informative posts for our social media, or a combination!

: No experience needed ! We will teach you the basics during our fall training and you will have the chance to deepen your understanding throughout the year.

: There are no registration fees to be a member of the Linguistic Security Committee.

: To sign up for the Linguistic Security Committee, first create your profile on our website: the steps are detailed here. Then, in your profile, in the “My Events” section, you can start applying to the Linguistic Security Committee by selecting the correct registration form from the drop-down menu. We will select members in early July. You will receive updates by email and on your profile.

Got more questions?

What is linguistic insecurity?

It’s a fact that many French speakers feel uncomfortable speaking French for fear of being judged based on their accent or their variety of French. But what are the causes of this feeling and above all how to remedy it ?

This feeling is often fuelled by social norms that value certain varieties of French to the detriment of others. Speakers hesitate, correct themselves, or in the worst case even avoid speaking their language to escape this feeling of illegitimacy. Remedying this insecurity requires both valuing and normalizing the diversity of accents and varieties of French, all of which deserve the same respect and recognition.

It is to overcome this problem which is at the heart of young people's daily lives but above all to allow them to express themselves freely on the subject that our committee of experts on linguistic security has been working since 2019.

The linguistic security committee

Since its creation, the committee has been working across the province to reach out to its community, raising awareness about language insecurity and the impact it can have on language vitality. The committee also had the opportunity to make a number of presentations on a pan-Canadian scale, highlighting the social and linguistic realities specific to British Columbia. For the 2025/2026 year, 9 young people have joined the committee. Members are trained and mentored by Suzanne Robillard - Doctor in Sociolinguistics and Honorary Life Member of the Youth Council. As ambassadors for language security, the committee's mission is to create spaces for dialogue and reflection with members of the community. To this end, they run awareness-raising and training workshops, and develop a variety of resources to meet the needs of young people and strengthen their linguistic confidence.

WORKSHOPS AND RESOURCES

The workshops offered by the committee were developed by the founding members with Suzanne Robillard. Their aim was to respond to the needs and realities of youth growing up in a minority context. In order to reach out to the various environments that play a key role in both identity-building and the development of a sense of linguistic legitimacy, this workshop is offered to young people, teachers in training, parents and other community players. In addition, to promote accessibility and dissemination of their message to young people who don't take part in workshops, the committee is also developing related awareness-raising resources.

Book a workshop

NEW VISUAL RESSOURCE : “Your French with Confidence”

The “comité sécurité linguistique” is proud to introduce its brand-new visual resource. Entitled “Your French with Confidence”, this poster was created by and for young people. It addresses key issues related to linguistic insecurity through powerful illustrations, authentic testimonials, and real-life situations that reflect the daily experiences of youth. The committee hopes that this resource will help strengthen young people's pride and confidence in using their French language!

DISCOVER THE VISUAL RESOURCE

Educational guide