Background:
EAICY is a European umbrella organisation that represents (national) organisations actively involved in non-formal education for children and young people.
Through peer learning, policy development and knowledge sharing by means of conferences, workshops and publications, EAICY aims to improve the quality and position of non-formal education for children and young people.
Created in 1991, EAICY had its seat in Prague. Now the legal seat is still in Prague, but the office is in Tbilisi, Georgia.
EAICY currently gathers nearly 40 national associations, institutions and individual members from nearly 20 countries in particularly Western – Central – and Eastern Europe.
Since 1996, EAICY has the consultative status with the Council of Europe. For this reason, amongst other reasons it regularly takes part in various conferences organised by Council of Europe.
Mr. Jean Philippe Durrenberger from Strasbourg, an EAICY member from the very beginning, represents EAICY in the Council of Europe.
Every two years a General Assembly is hold, where the members of EAICY elect a Presidium. The Presidium itself elects the President, the three Vice-Presidents and the General-Secretary.
At this moment, Mr. Levan Dvali from Tbilisi, Georgia is the President.
Organisation:
In the last 25 years, EAICY has changed a lot. EAICY made a jump forwards from leisure time to non-formal education. In different countries different words are used to describe the activities like after-school education, youth work or interest driven learning. Some years ago, EAICY decided to take over the terminology in this matter of the EU and the Council of Europe. Nowadays EAICY is the abbreviation of European Association for Institutions of non-formal education for Children and Youth.
The two-and-a-half decade past (members of) EAICY has organized countless activities, like exchanges of directors, children and youngsters, workers and politicians; international and national conferences; publications like EAICY’s Bulletin and a number of books; workshops related to many different subjects; advocacy; and study tours in various countries like Kazakhstan, France, Lithuania, Georgia, the Netherlands, Latvia, Bulgaria and Italy.
EAICY is a European network organisation that connects national platforms of non-formal education organisations, non-formal education organisations from different countries in and outside Europe (like Kazakhstan, South-Africa and Georgia) and individual members who are interested in the practice and/or policy related to non-formal education (like scholars).
EAICY is a non-profit NGO, founded on principles of democracy and humanitarianism, of freedom and equality. Its statutes amongst other things refer to the ideas and values registered in the texts of the United Nations, UNESCO, the Declaration of the Human Rights, Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Municipal and Regional Life.
EAICY is committed to ensure the promotion of the ideals and principles defended by the Council of Europe, amongst other things the democratic, social and cultural development, the fight against racism, xenophobia and violence, the participation of children and young people in the local and regional life, the protection of the inheritance and environment. EAICY wants to take an active share in the construction of European identity in its cultural diversity.
Activities:
Examples of EAICY activities are:
* Events:
Study tour Lithuania – Latvia
- Theme: Development of children and youth life skills through non-formal education
- Period: 20 – 25 March 2017
- More information: dalia@lvjc.lt or linda.smilga@gmail.com
International conference in Saint-Petersburg, Russia
- Theme: Teacher’s Forum, introduction to new trends in NFE, grand ceremony
- Period: 21, 22 and 23 April 2017
- More information: olya.finogentova@mail.ru or gdtu37@mail.ru (Maria)
Study visit in Riga, Latvia
- Theme: about NFE in Latvia, its philosophy, master classes, meetings
- Period: 24 – 27 April 2017
- More information: linda.smilga@gmail.com
Study visit in Tbilisi, Georgia
- Theme: Information about activities and studies implemented by National Youth and Children’s Palace. Participants will learn about Georgian reality and organizational development of the Palace.
- Period: will be confirmed
- Costs: will be specified
- More information: levan_dvali@live.com
Study visit in Rivne
- Theme: Youth and children (age of participants 12-18 years old) exchange activity, oriented to development leadership skills with the purpose introduce some particular of social practices, which will enable participants to organize qualitative youth/pupils self-government activity.
- Period: will be confirmed
- Costs: 15 Euro per day
- More information: pdmrivne@mail.ua
Next to that, EAICY will start special activities related to young refugees in Europe.
Exchanges:
- Many exchanges take place between our members. Groups of staff and/or children and youngsters visit other organizations.
- Exchanges are used to get new information or to get inspired by new approaches.
The two years General Assembly
- The last General Assembly was held in Prague (May 2022).
Presidium meetings:
- EAICY has two to three board meetings per year. On these we take decisions on common issues but we also have a lot of interesting discussions on current topics.
- The coming Presidium meeting will be held in Cracow from 25 till 28 January 2017. This meeting is especially focused on the theme of the coming strategy and tactics of EAICY.
- Other Presidium meetings in 2017 are not arranged yet.
- In 2018, Presidium meetings will be held in Sophia, Bulgaria and in Cape Town, South-Africa.
Special seminars, conferences and training courses:
- EAICY, with or without the help of some members, arranges from time to time special events in order to improve the quality of non-formal education.
- In 2017, we will organize special events for workers and their organizations about young refugees in Europe. Later we will inform you more in detail.