La Bourse Phyllis Harris contribue à accroître les compétences et l’expérience d’étudiant-es qui sont bénévoles ou employé-es dans le domaine général de la sexualité humaine et qui ont l’intention de poursuivre une carrière en lien avec celle-ci.
Ce fonds de dotation honore le dévouement et les objectifs de Walter et Phyllis Harris, qui étaient de solides militants et militantes pour la liberté de choix et pour l’autonomie de chaque personne. La famille Harris a établi un fonds pour cette bourse afin de soutenir des personnes qui aspirent à devenir des leaders en ce qui touche la santé sexuelle et génésique et les droits qui s’y rattachent.
Ce don à la mémoire de madame et monsieur Harris procure du soutien depuis plus de 20 ans à des étudiant-es qui peuvent ainsi avoir accès à un emploi pertinent et important, dans le cadre de stages d’été rémunérés. Action Canada est ravi d’avoir l’occasion de partager son mentorat et son expertise avec des leaders en devenir dans ce domaine, qui ont le bénéfice de tels stages grâce à la Bourse Phyllis Harris.
Ayant été infirmière de santé publique, Phyllis a fait du bénévolat auprès de Planning des naissances tout au long de sa carrière, à l’époque où l’avortement était loin d’être légal. Interviewée par l’Edmondon Journal à l’occasion du prix qui lui a été décerné en 1981 pour son bénévolat, Phyllis a décrit comme ceci la motivation qui l’a conduite à s’intéresser à ce type de travail :
« J’aime bien, personnellement, planifier ma vie et être le mieux possible en contrôle de ce qui m’arrive. Même lorsque j’étais une jeune étudiante en soins infirmiers, j’étais consternée par les répercussions néfastes que des grossesses non planifiées et non désirées entraînaient pour la vie d’individus et de familles. »
Phyllis a pu fournir son soutien personnel pendant toute sa carrière puis, avec son conjoint et d’autres personnes vivement intéressées, a mis sur pied une section locale de Planning des naissances afin d’abolir les obstacles et de faire en sorte que chaque personne puisse prendre ses propres décisions à propos de son corps. « Une grande partie des activités des premières années concernait l’éducation du public et la promotion des modifications au Code criminel qui ont vu le jour en 1969. »
Dans le mouvement pour la santé sexuelle et génésique et les droits qui s’y rattachent, nous prenons appui sur les épaules de géants et de géantes – nous tirons de leçons des victoires durement gagnées par des militant-es, des bénévoles et des travailleurs et travailleuses du domaine de la santé comme Phyllis et Walter Harris. À l’heure où nous continuons de franchir des pas pour relier des mouvements des quatre coins du Canada et du monde, nous sommes honoré-es de contribuer à poursuivre l’avancement de leur objectif de soutenir des leaders du futur dans le domaine de la santé et des droits sexuels et génésiques.
Applications Now Open for the 2026 Harris Scholarship
Eligibility:
In order to meet minimum requirements to apply for the Phyllis Harris Scholarship, a candidate must:
- be a student enrolled in undergraduate post-secondary courses or trainings for Fall 2026;
- be interested in a career path in the field of sexual health and rights (interest could be demonstrated by field of study, by working in the field, by volunteering in the field, or any combination of the above);
- live and study in Canada.
- provide a 1-page reference letter from a supervisor, professor, or colleague connected to your work or volunteering in sexual health and rights.
Action Canada is committed to working within an anti-racism and anti-oppression framework. We encourage applications from members of Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities, and from members of other equity-seeking groups. We welcome applications from people living with disabilities; please let us know if you require accommodations to participate in the application process (including submitting applications by video).
How to Apply:
Candidates must complete the following application form. All applications must include:
- Applicant’s Name
- Address
- Phone Number
- School and Program
- Expected Date of Graduation
- 200 words about your experience working/volunteering in Sexual Health and Rights
- 200 words about your future goals for a career in Sexual Health and Rights
- 100 words about the impact the scholarship could have on your studies
- 1-page Reference Letter (PDF)
Complete applications must be submitted by 11:59pm EST on Sunday August 2. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Selection Process:
All completed applications will be reviewed by a selection panel made up of 2-3 Action Canada employees, and a member of Action Canada's National Youth Advisory Board.
The panel will consider each applicant's responses to the application questions, and their fit within the scholarship criteria.
The successful candidate will be notified on or before August 31 2026. We thank all applicants in advance; all candidates will be informed of the outcome of selection process.
For any questions, please contact info@actioncanadashr.org, with the subject line “Harris Scholarship 2026”.
About the Phyllis Harris Scholarship
Each year, the Phyllis Harris Scholarship builds the skills and experience of students who have volunteered or been employed in the general field of human sexuality and who intend to pursue a related career.
This legacy endowment fund honours the dedication and goals of Walter and Phyllis Harris who were strong advocates of choice and autonomy for every person. The Harris Family created a scholarship fund to encourage future leaders in sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Students have been supported through this legacy gift for over 20 years and will continue to have access to meaningful work through funded summer placement opportunities. Action Canada is deeply grateful for the opportunity to share mentorship and expertise with developing leaders in the field who can benefit from the placements offered through the Phyllis Harris Scholarship.
Throughout her career as a public health nurse, Phyllis volunteered with Planned Parenthood, though this was a time when abortion was not legal. When interviewed in the Edmonton Journal about her 1981 volunteer award, Phyllis was asked how she became interested in this type of work.
“I personally like to plan my life and be in charge of what happens to me as far as possible. Even as a young student nurse, I was appalled by the negative effects on individual and family life of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies.” - Phyllis Harris
Phyllis was able to give personal support through her career. With her husband and other supporters, she started a chapter of Planned Parenthood to break down barriers and allow all people to make decisions about their own bodies. “Much of the activity in the early years was focused on public education to promote changes in the criminal code, which did occur in 1969.”
In the sexual and reproductive health and rights movement we “stand on the shoulders of giants,” learning from and adapting expertise built through the hard won victories of advocates, volunteers, and health workers like Phyllis and Walter Harris. As we continue pressing forward to connect movements and organizations across Canada and the world, we are honoured to help advance their goal to support future leaders in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights.Details:
The Phyllis Harris Scholarship is awarded bi-annually to help support students who are community leaders in sexual health and rights. Valued at $3,600, the Phyllis Harris Scholarship Fund provides one scholarship to a student with experience working or volunteering in the general field of human sexuality, and who intends to pursue a related career in the future.