Youth and Language
In order for a language to survive and thrive, each new generation must acquire the language. Conversely, a language can be virtually wiped out if one generation does not learn it. Because of this, every language group must have a plan for passing on the language from one generation to the next. This may occur in the home, in the school, or in a combination of places, but it does not happen without effort because the languages of the colonizers tend to dominate – and often must be learned in order for young people to become educated and find employment.
As much as language is connected to traditional knowledge and culture, it must also be capable of incorporating new vocabulary to meet the needs of young people in order to remain vibrant. For example, in the 21st century a language must find some way of communicating about technological advances such as televisions and computers in order to remain relevant to the everyday lives of the youth.
These articles and links provide valuable insight into some of the issues regarding passing indigenous languages on to the next generation of youth.
1st Inuit Circumpolar Youth Symposium on the Inuit Language 
In August 2005, the Inuit Circumpolar Youth Council hosted the 1st Inuit Circumpolar Youth Symposium on the Inuit Language in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada. The Symposium brought together 20 diverse Inuit youth delegates ‐ hunters, artists, students, leaders, and teachers – to discuss the language issues concerning youth today.
Emerging Inuit Leaders: Igniting a Language Movement
In July 2007, the 2nd Inuit Circumpolar Youth Symposium on the Inuit Language was held in Kotzebue, Alaska in accordance with the mandate of the Inuit Circumpolar Youth Council (ICYC). The ICYC strongly believes that the Inuit language is foundational to the Inuit culture and in turn is optimistic that the revitalization and furtherance of the language can play a key role in keeping the culture alive within the present and future generations of Inuit. The ICYC believes that instilling pride of language into our youth is fundamental to maintaining pride in the culture, thereby creating an avenue for change of existing negative social patterns.
The future of Inuktitut in the face of majority languages: Bilingualism or language shift? - Shanley Allen
Inuktitut, the Eskimo language spoken in Eastern Canada, is one of the few Canadian indigenous languages with a strong chance of long-term survival because over 90% of Inuit children still learn Inuktitut from birth.