NWAC Helen Bassett commemorative Student Award
Every year, the NWAC Youth Department coordinates the Helen Bassett Commemorative Award granted to four young Aboriginal women in the amount of $1,000 each. The awards are made possible by the generous donation 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 to sustain our postsecondary student awards program to this day. Ms. Bassett felt strongly about the land rights of Aboriginal people and decided to try and make a difference as an individual. She directed open letters to Prime Minister Trudeau and his cabinet in 1980 and again in 1983, proposing a plan that a tax be levied on all land transactions in Canada, to be assigned as royalty to the native people, in payment for the possession and use of the land. She reflected these ideas in her booklet “Native Rights”.
The Challenge
Previous years have shown over 60 to 80 applications for 4 awards. This overwhelming response shows that Aboriginal women require more funding resources. As the only support available is provided by Helen Bassett’s estate, the NWAC Youth Department continuously looks for ways to increase the award amount, and fundraising by the Youth Council and Youth Volunteer Circle, which are reviewed and determined annually.
The Program
Awards are provided to 4 Aboriginal youth from each of the four directions as per NWAC’s cultural framework: North, South, East, and West. The NWAC Youth Helen Bassett Commemorative Award is coordinated by the Youth Department and the selection process and committee are lead by Aboriginal youth. Eligibility criteria for the Helen Bassett Commemorative Student Award:
- Student must be currently pursuing post-secondary studies (Priority placed to Law studies)Demonstrate financial need
- Applicants must be an Aboriginal woman under 30 years of age
- Must demonstrate commitment to improving the situation of Aboriginal women and youth in Canada politically, culturally, economically or otherwise
- Former Youth Council members are not eligible to apply
The Opportunity
CLICK HERE for applications and eligibility requirements.