Union News - April 2025
Each year the Union of Taxation Employees (UTE) sponsors one student and subsidizes one UTE member in good standing to travel with International Children’s Awareness (ICA) to a developing country, where ICA focuses on holistic development, including projects such as bringing fresh water to villages and building schools and health clinics.
ICA was established as a Canadian registered non-governmental organization (NGO) in 1994. Since then, they have worked on various development projects in Cameroon, Romania, Jamaica, and Haiti. They have relied on motivated volunteers since their inception and have evolved into an organization uniquely capable of filling needs in smaller situations that are often overlooked by many of the bigger development organizations.
Their steadfast commitment to their project areas has garnered high-level recognition and praise and, most importantly, has resulted in projects and programs that have empowered and benefited tens of thousands.
ICA understands that in the long term, the only way to break the poverty cycle is through the development and empowerment of the whole community.
Innovative and appropriate technologies must be implemented in beneficiary communities to create real and lasting change. These communities do not want handouts, they want to recover their independence and self-sufficiency. By promoting and implementing integrated sustainable development programs in these regions, ICA is helping people help themselves.
The sponsorship will be awarded to a student 18 years of age or older who is enrolled in post-secondary education. It will cover all costs associated with their travel to the country chosen by ICA. These costs shall include the cost of travel, obtaining Visas, vaccinations, accommodations and per diems en route, and any other related costs.
The subsidy will be awarded to a UTE member in good standing who is 18 years of age or older. It will cover all costs associated with their travel to the country chosen by ICA, to a maximum of three thousand five hundred dollars ($ 3 500.00). These costs shall include the cost of travel, obtaining Visas, vaccinations, accommodations and per diems en route and any other related costs. The subsidy doesn’t cover the reimbursement of any loss of salary.
Under exceptional circumstances, the President shall have the authority, in consultation with the 1st Vice-President, to increase the subsidy amount.
Applicants must apply including:
- Their name and contact information
- A 400- to 700-word essay or an audio or video submission no longer than 4 minutes, explaining why they would like to join the ICA team going to the country chosen by ICA and participating in the International Children’s Awareness projects.
Completed applications must be sent to the Honours and Awards Committee by September 15th, 2025 at 23:59 (EST).
Melanee Jessup
Member, Communications Committee