The Canadian North
Frequently Asked Questions
- I’m a full-time student. Can I apply?
- I’m working full-time. Can I apply?
- I work for government. Can I apply?
- I’m currently unemployed. Can I apply?
- I’m Inuk and I have lived in Southern Canada my whole life. But I still have strong ties to the North. Can I apply?
- I’m from the North, but I don’t currently live there. Can I apply?
- I have lived in the North virtually my whole life, but I am not Aboriginal. Can I apply?
- What are the five regions covered by this program?
- I see that Nunavik is one of the five regions. Does that mean that only Inuit from Nunavik are eligible?
- Why are you restricting the age group from 25 to 35?
- Do I need to provide proof that I’m a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to apply?
- Is there an academic requirement for this program?
- Are my chances of receiving the fellowship better if I come from a particular Arctic region?
- Do I have to be nominated?
- Whom should I choose to write my reference letters?
- Do you have any guidelines for people writing reference letters?
- Are a certain number of fellowships reserved for Aboriginal applicants?
- I don’t have a lot of experience in public policy, but I am very interested in learning. Should I apply?
- Once I submit my application, what is the selection process?
- When will I find out if I am selected?
- What if I am selected for an interview but can’t attend in person?
- I am having trouble filling in the electronic forms. Is there another way I can submit my application?
- Can I submit my application by mail?
- Can I submit my application in a language other than English?
- How will I know that my application has been received?
- What is the commitment involved in participating in the Jane Glassco Arctic Fellowship program?
- How does the mentorship part of the program work? Do I need to contact mentors before I apply?
- How will the $25,000 award be given out?
- What is the working language of the fellowship program?
1. I’m a full-time student.
Can I apply?
Yes, full-time students are eligible to apply, as long as they can fully
participate in the fellowship program. As well, your planned fellowship
work should go beyond your requirements for your school program or course
of study.
We hope to have a diversity of experiences and backgrounds in the overall group of fellows, including some students along with some fellows who are working in a variety of different organizations, governments and the private sector.
2. I’m working full-time.
Can I apply?
Yes, candidates working full-time are eligible to apply, as long as
they can fully participate in the fellowship program. We hope to have
a diversity of experiences and backgrounds in the overall group of fellows,
including some Fellows who are working in a variety of different organizations,
Aboriginal or public governments and the private sector, along with
some students.
For fellows who work for a charitable organization or other “qualified donee” as defined by the Canada Revenue Agency, your organization will be eligible to receive a $5,000 grant to help compensate for the time sacrificed to conduct fellowship-related activities and research.
3. I work for government. Can I
apply?
Yes, candidates working for government – whether Aboriginal or
public government – are eligible to apply, as long as they can
fully participate in the fellowship program. We hope to have a diversity
of experiences and backgrounds in the overall group of fellows, including
some Fellows who are working in a variety of different organizations,
governments and the private sector, along with some students.
4. I’m currently unemployed.
Can I apply?
Yes. Candidates who are currently unemployed are eligible to apply,
as long as they can fully participate in the fellowship program.
5. I’m Inuk and I have lived in Southern
Canada my whole life. But I still have strong ties to the North. Can
I apply?
Yes, Aboriginal applicants with strong ties to one of the five Arctic
regions covered by this program, but who have not lived in the North
for an extended period of time, are eligible to apply. However, such
applicants must plan to spend an extended period of time in the North
as part of their fellowship work, and should provide this information
in their application.
6. I’m from the North, but
I don’t currently live there. Can I apply?
Yes, Northerners who have lived in the North for a number of years --
but who are currently not living in one of the five Arctic regions covered
by this program – are eligible to apply. Keep in mind that all
Fellows must plan to spend a period of time in the North as part of
their fellowship work, and should provide this information in their
application.
7. I have lived in the North virtually
my whole life, but I am not Aboriginal. Can I apply?
Yes, all Northerners from any of the five Arctic regions covered by
this program are eligible to apply.
8. What are the five regions covered
by this program?
The five regions covered by this program are the Yukon, Northwest
Territories, Nunavut, Northern Quebec (Nunavik) and Northern Labrador
(Nunatsiavut). For more information, see our map of the five Arctic
regions.
9. I see that Nunavik and Nunatsiavut are
among the five regions covered by this program. Does that mean that
only Inuit from Nunavik and Nunatsiavut are eligible?
No. Non-Inuit residents from the Nunavik and Nunatsiavut areas, including
Cree, Innu and non-Aboriginal persons, are all eligible to apply.
10. Why are you restricting the
age group from 25 to 35?
It is always difficult to establish an age cut-off for eligibility.
We have chosen the 25 to 35 age range to focus on Northerners with some
work experience who are still in the early stages of their careers and
who are interested in addressing Northern issues and learning more about
policy development.
11. Do I need to provide proof
that I’m a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to apply?
No, you do not need to provide proof in your application of your citizenship
status. However, once Fellows are selected, they will have to provide
their social insurance number for income tax purposes.
12. Is there an academic requirement
for this program?
No, there is not a formal academic requirement for this program.
1. Are my chances of receiving
the fellowship better if I come from a particular Arctic region?
We hope to have Fellows representing each of the five Arctic regions
covered by this program: Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Northern
Quebec (Nunavik), and Northern Labrador (Nunatsiavuk)
2. Do I have to be nominated?
No, you do not have to be nominated. However, you do have to include
two (2) reference letters with your application.
3. Whom should I choose to write
my reference letters?
You should choose people who know you well. You can ask current or former
employers, teachers, coaches, Elders from your community, people who
know you from work you have done in your community, etc.
4. Do you have any guidelines for
people writing reference letters?
Reference letters should describe how long and in what capacity (e.g.
employer, Elder, instructor, etc.) they know you (the candidate), how
they think you would benefit from and contribute to this fellowship
program, and any other comments they have about the issue you have chosen
and the way you plan to address it. It is a good idea to share your
application form with the people writing your reference letter. Reference
letters should also include the full contact information of the person
writing the letter.
5. Are a certain number of fellowships
reserved for Aboriginal applicants?
We hope to receive many applications from Aboriginal candidates and
we hope that the majority of fellows will be First Nations, Inuit and
Métis, but we have not established a strict quota.
6. I don’t have a lot of
experience in public policy, but I am very interested in learning. Should
I apply?
Yes, absolutely. One of the goals of this fellowship program is to give
Fellows an opportunity to learn more about policy development and how
they can develop their own policy ideas to address challenges faced
in the North.
7. Once I submit my application,
what is the selection process?
All applications received by the deadline will be read by members of
the selection committee. The selection committee will include staff,
board, and community members. The committee will select up to 25 applicants
for an in-person interview to be held in mid-May, and then will decide
who will be offered a fellowship (up to 12 Fellows will be selected).
References may also be contacted as part of the selection process. For
more information about the selection process, please see the timeline.
8. When will I find out if I am
selected?
All applicants will receive confirmation that their application has
been received. Candidates invited for an interview will be contacted
by the end of April, and those selected as fellows will be notified
by the end of May. A public announcement of the selected fellows is
planned for June 2010. For more information, please see the timeline.
9. What if I am selected for an
interview but can’t attend in person?
While we hope to interview as many candidates as possible in-person,
some exceptions may be made where a telephone interview is a better
option.
1. I am having trouble filling
in the electronic forms. Is there another way I can submit my application?
Please contact
us if you are having trouble filling out the forms and would like
some assistance. You can also print out the application form and fill
it in by hand. If possible, you can physically cut and paste your answers
in Section D, so that they are typed and easier for us to read. You
can then scan and send by email to arcticvoices@gordonfn.org.
Or, if scanning is not an option for you, you can send it by fax to
416.601.1689.
2. Can I submit my application
by mail?
Applications can be submitted by mail to the address in the how
to apply section. However, please note that your application must
be received (not postmarked) by the deadline of March 24, 2010.
If possible, we encourage you to submit your application by email to
arcticvoices@gordonfn.org.
Applications is Now Closed!
3. Can I submit my application
in a language other than English?
You can submit your application in English, French, or any of the Aboriginal
languages used in the North. However, the working language of the fellowship
program will be in English.
4. How will I know that my application
has been received?
We will send a confirmation that your completed application has been
received by April 5, 2010.
1. What is the commitment involved
in participating in the Jane Glassco Arctic Fellowship program?
We know that different fellows will be able to commit different amounts
of time to their fellowship work. At a minimum, we expect that fellows
will be able to attend all four gatherings of fellows, complete their
applied policy research paper (or equivalent), contribute to the design
and roll-out of the group project, and maintain contact with the Program
Director, their mentors, and other fellows during the course of the
program.
2. How does the mentorship part
of the program work? Do I need to contact mentors before I apply?
In discussion with the Program Director, Fellows will identify two mentors.
One is a community-based Northern mentor who can provide guidance and
grounding to the project. This could be an Elder, a community leader,
or someone else you know and respect and want to learn from. The other
is a professional mentor with some experience working on the issue you
hope do address in your fellowship work.
You do not need to contact potential mentors before you apply, but if you have an idea of potential mentors, please include them in Section E of the application form.
3. How will the $25,000 award be
given out?
At each of the four gatherings of fellows, fellows will receive a payment
of $5,000. The additional $5,000 will be issued as needed to support
the fellows’ travel to conduct their research and other fellowship
expenses. Note that travel costs associated with attending the 4 in-person
gatherings will be covered in addition to the $25,000 award.
4. What is the working language
of the fellowship program?
The working language of the fellowship program will be in English.