Bursary Fund

Olive Co-operative administers a bursary fund which is intended to make its tours accessible to those on low incomes, especially community activists and campaigners. It is also intended that the fund should be used to support people who will continue to contribute to the struggle for a just peace in Palestine and Israel, whether in the UK or in Palestine itself.

The bursary fund pays for up to 75% of the Olive Co-operative tour price. Tour prices start from £435 for seven nights, including your Olive Co-operative guide, airport taxis and all local transport, itinerary arrangements, bed, breakfast and most meals. Prices exclude flights which are between £250 and £300 from the UK, and bursaries cannot help with flight costs.

Donations to the bursary fund have come from generous individuals and members of Olive Co-op.

Applicants should:

• be visiting Palestine/Israel for the first time, or not since 1996;
• have little prospect of being able to raise the total tour cost in other ways;
• have a demonstrable history of activity in a related area, for example in interfaith relations, peace work, solidarity with Palestinians or other subjects related to a specific tour such as the environment, refugees or land;
• plan to commit substantial time and energy to issues related to their tour when they return and/or integrate these issues into their work; and
• be based in the UK.

The bursary fund is targeted at people who earn substantially less than the national average wage and have access to savings of less than a couple of hundred pounds.

Examples of suitable applicants include:

• activists who work voluntarily or for near-minimum wages in social or environmental justice campaigns;
• students in debt and with a track record of relevant campaigning; or
• low waged people with dependents active in the community/campaigns sector.

To apply for support, applicants should write a one page e-mail or letter to accompany their tour booking form, including the following information:

1. Why they want to go on an Olive Co-op tour to Palestine/Israel.
2. How much money they are applying for from the bursary fund.
3. What other ways they have or plan to raise money to cover their air fare and remaining costs, for example through paid work, savings, or donations from friends, family or related groups.
4. Which networks or communities they are particularly active in, for example climate change, Muslim students, or Jewish peace campaigners.
5. The role they play in these networks or communities, and the phone number for at least two related references.
6. How they plan to use the information and contacts on the tour to benefit their campaigning work.

Applications will be considered fortnightly by members of Olive Co-operative and its advisory group. Applications must be received at least six weeks before the start date of the tour for which the bursary is to be used.