UFV's two-year Aboriginal Culture and Language Support (ACLS) diploma is designed to provide you with the knowledge, skills, and perspectives required for employment as an Aboriginal support worker in both public or First Nation-operated band schools.
As an Aboriginal support worker, your unique understanding of — and sensitivity to — the values, beliefs, and needs of students' Indigenous communities and heritage, as well as the needs of the education system, makes you a valuable asset to the school in which you work.
As part of the program, you develop the skills necessary to help Aboriginal youth succeed. You get to:
- Learn Halq'eméylem, the language of the Stó:lŠpeople
- Explore the culture and history the Stó:lŠpeople
- Gain counseling skills
- Examine contemporary issues and policies in Indigenous education
- Learn to support learner development
View ACLS program outline in the UFV Academic Calendar
In your second year, a supervised practicum placement gives you the opportunity to practice in-class theory, gain work experience, receive valuable feedback, and build relationships with potential employers.
The ACLS diploma program ladders into the Developmental Standard Term Certificate (DSTC), a teaching certificate offered at SFU and approved by the BC College of Teachers as a requirement to teach Halq'eméylem in elementary schools. You can also opt to continue your studies at UFV to earn a degree in General Studies, Social Work, or Arts. As a third option, you may choose to pursue a Bachelor of Education program at SFU or UBC.