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The CEU is proud to offer an annual bursary program in support of our members and their close relatives.

Who is Eligible?

The CEU Bursary Program is open to close relatives of any CEU member in good standing. For the purposes of this competition, a close relative is defined as a mother, father, spouse, son, daughter, brother, sister, grandparent, great-grandparent, step-relatives or other person who has acted in loco parentis or any other relative living under the same roof.

Program applicants must meet the entrance requirements for their first year of studies at a post-secondary institution. Only students entering their first year of post-secondary education are eligible. (First year post-secondary education does not include programs that provide equivalency to high school diplomas and pre-apprenticeship programs; however, students who have formally registered in an apprenticeship program are eligible.)


How much funding is available?

The total amount available in the annual CEU bursary fund is $7500.00. Individual bursary award amounts will vary, depending on the marks given each essay by members of the Bursary Committee.

What are the submission requirements?

Applicants must submit a two-part essay and provide supporting documentation (described below.)

The CEU Bursary Committee (“the Committee”) will judge applicants on the quality of their respective submission and the inclusion of supporting documents.

Part 1: Submit an Activist Profile Essay

Interview an individual currently involved with a union or a labour organization. The subject can be:

    • A shop steward, an elected officer of a union, labour council or labour federation
    • An employee of a union or labour organization (e.g., a business agent, representative, organizer, communications officer, etc.)

Analyze, summarize, and discuss the information gathered in the interview describing:

    • Why they became a union activist; how long they have served as an activist; what activities that person engages (or engaged) in as a union activist; what you learned about unions and union activists because of conducting the interview.

Submission Requirements for the Activist Profile Essay

  • The subject of the essay cannot be someone involved with the CEU
  • Verbatim transcripts of the interview will not be accepted
  • The subject must be involved in a member union of the BC Federation Labour or a labour council
  • The submission must include:
      • A 500-to-750-word essay
      • A title page with the name of the person you interviewed and their contact information (name, phone, email, address)
      • A list of references or people consulted in preparing your essay
      • Information on whether the subject of your essay gives permission to post your essay or excerpts from your essay on the CEU website (ceu.ca). If the activist gives permission for the essay to be posted on the CEU website, you must submit a written approval signed by the activist. If the activist does not provide permission, please state this on the title page.

 Part 2: Submit a Current Affairs Essay

In 2019 the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released a report outlining 94 recommendations for Government and groups to promote reconciliation. Write a 1000-to-1200-word essay that:

  • outlines how the Labour movement is working towards reconciliation with Indigenous People in British Columbia;
  • Secondly, outlines what can you do individually to promote reconciliation with Indigenous People in British Columbia.

Submission requirements for the Current Affairs Essay 

  • Your 1000-to-1200-word essay
  • A title page
  • A list of any media read, listened to, or viewed in researching your essay
  • A list of other references you consulted, or people you spoke to, in preparing your essay

 In addition to submitting the two essays, you must include:

 Criteria for Judging Submissions

Submissions must be complete, organized, and coherent. In addition, they must:

    • Have a well-developed point of view
    • Discuss specific points
    • Demonstrate proficiency in grammar, punctuation, and spelling
    • Show original work (the committee will not accept plagiarized material).

Incomplete submissions are subject to a scoring penalty.

 Content Ownership

All submissions become the property of the CEU.

 Where to Submit Your Work

Send completed submissions by email to communications@ceu.bc.ca . Please include “Bursary Application” in the subject line. Submit documents as Microsoft Word files.

 Deadline

 Submissions must be received by the CEU no later than 12:00 noon, Wednesday, April 13, 2022.

 Payment of the Bursary Award

 Bursaries will be issued to the successful applicants after they have been issued a student number by a recognized university, college, or vocational institute.

 Taxes related to the Bursary Award

The CEU will provide each recipient with a Government of Canada T4A form with the bursary amount awarded to them. No tax amounts will be withheld on the awards granted. The recipient is wholly responsible to determine if they are eligible for an exemption from any applicable tax. Please note: under the Income Tax Act, the CEU will require the Social Insurance Number of each award bursary recipient before payment can be issued.

 For More Information

Please contact:

Kerry-Ann Herron, CEU Executive and Bursary Committee Chair

kerry-ann.herron@worksafebc.com

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