HELEN BASSETT COMMEMORATIVE STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
2008/2009

The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) is pleased to offer four Student Scholarships in the amount of $1000.00 to young Aboriginal Women seeking to further their education. The awards are distributed through NWAC’s Youth Program and are made possible through the generous donations of Helen Bassett.

Helen Bassett was an Ontario artist and an amazing woman who tried to make a difference as an individual and engage the government into fair solutions to Aboriginal land claim issues. After befriending an Aboriginal artist and learning through him about the plight of Aboriginal people, she became passionate about the issue and had special concern for advancement of Aboriginal women. In her selflessness, she specified NWAC as one of the beneficiaries of her estate in her will, which helped us sustain our post-secondary student scholarships program to this day.

The Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) seeks to enhance, promote, and foster the social, economic, cultural and political well-being of First Nations and Métis women within First Nation and Canadian societies. Incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1974, NWAC is an aggregate of 13 Native women’s organizations from across Canada. Much like a "Grandmother's Lodge", we as aunties, mothers, sisters, brothers and relatives collectively recognize, respect, promote, defend and enhance our Native ancestral laws, spiritual beliefs, language and traditions given to us by the Creator. NWAC’s Youth Council is comprised of youth representative from each of the 13 Native women’s organizations.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Pursuing post-secondary studies
• Under 31 year of age
• Demonstrated financial need
• Demonstrated a commitment to improving the situation of Aboriginal Women in Canada politically, culturally, economically or otherwise
• Former Youth Council members are not eligible to apply

DEADLINE TO APPLY IS AUGUST 01 2008, 5.00 PM EDT
For more information call Jelena Golic at 613 722 3033 ext 230
To obtain the application form on line go to www.nwac-hq.org - click on Youth then Scholarships.

Application Form (PDF 160 KB)