About us
Unique in Quebec, Nunavik Sivunitsavut offers one-year courses on Inuit and circumpolar history, politics, governance, culture, and language. Students explore global modern issues from an Inuit perspective. In doing so, they gain invaluable insight into Nunavik, its people and their culture.
At Nunavik Sivunitsavut, students will:
Explore their Inuit identity, and their ties to Nunavik communities and collective history
Earn college credits that count toward any CEGEP diploma they may choose to complete in the future
Have the opportunity to live a positive urban experience in Montreal
Develop workplace skills that Nunavik employers look for in their employees
Strengthen their sense of identity and leadership skills
Partners
Nunavik Sivunitsavut benefits from the support of key partners. In 2015, four regional organizations from Nunavik approached John Abbott College to collaborate and participate in the design and delivery of culturally relevant courses for the youth of Nunavik. Together, they formed the Advisory Committee, which manages and oversees the development of Nunavik Sivunitsavut. The Qarjuit Youth Council also became a member of the Advisory Committee.
John Abbott College is our post-secondary diploma granting partner, through which the accreditation of courses offered at Nunavik Sivunitsavut is possible. John Abbott College is a public Anglophone college serving students since 1971. Today, the increasingly diverse student body includes 6,500 full-time day students and an additional 2,000 continuing education students. For more than 20 years, the College has been working in partnership with Kativik Ilisarniliriniq to provide support to Inuit students coming from Nunavik. John Abbott is situated on the western tip of the Island of Montreal.
The KRG was created pursuant to the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA) to provide public services to the people of Nunavik. It is a public (non-ethnic) government, tasked with everything from maintaining airports to providing economic development, support for hunting and on-the-land activities, policing services and much more. It is Nunavik’s largest employer.
Makivik is the legal representative of the Inuit of Quebec. It is mandated to protect the rights, interests, and financial compensation provided by the JBNQA. It is responsible for generating jobs, fostering economic and social development, promoting Inuit culture and owning and operating large businesses (such as First Air and Air Inuit).
Kativik Ilisarniliriniq (KI) was also created under the JBNQA and came into operation in 1978. KI provides primary, secondary and adult education to the region of Nunavik, and develops and oversees support services to sponsored post-secondary students. It operates 17 primary and secondary schools as well as 5 adult education centres across the 14 communities of Nunavik.
In 1980, Avataq was created in response to the rapid pace of change in Nunavik’s culture due in no small part to the changes brought about by the JBNQA. It is responsible to promoting and protecting the language and culture of the Nunavik Inuit.
Created as an ethnic, non-for-profit organization in September 2015, the Qarjuit Youth Council (QYC) aims to improve the lives of the youth in Nunavik and Chisasibi (15 to 35 years old). QYC pursues this goal by providing information, support and programs specifically designed by and for youth. The organization seeks to give the youth the voice it deserves. Bringing forward Inuit cultural values in today’s modern society is at the core of QYC’s mission.
Nunavik Sivunitsavut currently benefits from the financial support of:
We would also like to acknowledge the financial support provided by INAC from 2016 to 2018.
