OFL/AIL Labour Post-Secondary Scholarships

The OFL is proud to be joined in partnership by American Income Life (AIL) Canada in calling for applications for the OFL/AIL Labour Post-Secondary Scholarships for 2015.

Two OFL members, or the children of members, will be selected from a pool of applicants to each receive a scholarship in the amount of $2,500 to support them as they are enter the first year of full-time post-secondary study in September 2015. The scholarships will be awarded in honour of distinguished trade union activists who have made a significant contribution to the life and growth of the labour movement in Ontario.

Eligible candidates must:

• Be a current member, or the child of a member, of a local union affiliated to the OFL;
• Be enrolled for September 2015 to enter their first year of full-time study (leading to a diploma or certificate) at a public Ontario community college or the first year of an undergraduate program (leading to a degree) at a publicly-funded Ontario university;
• Not have any prior post-secondary studies;
• Be currently enrolled or not more than 2 years out of secondary school; and
• Submit an essay on the topic below.

The criteria for selection of the scholarship winners are the following:

1. A brief résumé outlining non-academic interests and activities, such as community or political involvement as well as goals for the future.
2. Evidence of understanding of the role and significance of the Canadian labour movement.

In order to satisfy point (2) above, applicants will be required to submit an essay of not more than 1,000 words. This year’s topic is:

How do labour unions provide a pathway out of poverty and improve the wages and working standards for every worker?

In particular, how can unions benefit people from diverse communities, such as women, new immigrants, racialized people, people with disabilities, Aboriginal people, and lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered people?

Feel free to draw from personal experience in your response.

The deadline for receipt of applications is July 10, 2015. Click here to download the 2015 Application Form.

The winners will be announced in August 2015.

The OFL is committed to social justice and equity and believes strongly that post-secondary education provides important opportunities that should not be limited by tuition fees and student debt. We offer these scholarships to assist students in overcoming financial barriers in accessing a public college or university education.

We proudly encourage women, people of colour, Aboriginal people, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities and those from other equity-seeking backgrounds to apply for this scholarship.

The OFL is very proud to contribute to the education and development of current trade unionists, as well as investing in the next generation of labour activists. While we fight together for post-secondary education that is accessible to all, we hope this financial assistance can provide support for our members and their children.

The OFL represents more than one million unionized workers in Ontario from 50 affiliated unions and is proud to have the support of AIL CANADA, a 100% union company that is a leader in providing supplemental insurance benefits. For more information on AIL Canada, visit: AILife.com.

Please circulate this call for applications to help ensure that these scholarships are made known as widely as possible.

Click here to download the 2015 scholarship application package.

List of Past Scholarship Recipients and Labour Roll Honourees