Mission:
- The Association shall be based on the ideals of democracy and humanism, freedom and equality of people, in accordance with the UN and UNESCO documents, namely the Declaration on the Rights of the Child of 1959 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1989. The Association shall endorse the message of J. A. Komenský, the great European pedagogue and public figure of the 17th Century.
- The Association shall implement these ideals during leisure time – an important and specific educational sphere – of children, young people and those adults, acting as their leaders and organisers. While implementing its mission via the member institutions of leisure time, the Association shall consider social, health, ecological and other aspects of life and contribute to preventive actions for children and youth by implementing its activities.
- The Association shall promote active participation on activities of leisure time institutions, develop individual personal interests and positive life attitudes, as well as contribute to international cooperation and understanding, in compliance with the aims of the Helsinki process.
- The Association shall stand as a voluntary international organisation. It shall be opened to all organisations, institutions and individuals working with children and young people with no regard to their political, societal, and religious or other focus, if only they have acknowledged the Association aims.
- The Association shall act as an associate member of the Council of Europe and help to implement its mission.
Vision:
In compliance with its mission, the Association shall follow these main aims and objectives:
- Among children and youth of Europe,
- The Association shall support their healthy and versatile development, mainly by creation, support and coordination of leisure time programmes developed in important or critical spheres of their lives and education;
- The Association shall encourage and develop, strengthen and organise direct bi- and multilateral contacts among children and youth, their exchanges during main and other vacations, as well as other ways of collaboration.
- Among adults – professional and voluntary leaders and organisers acting in the field of leisure time of children and youth,
- The Association shall encourage, support and organise their bi- and multilateral meetings, exchange of experience, seminars, conferences, courses, training periods, etc.;
- The Association shall encourage and develop information, learning, research and theoretical activities and standardise experience in the field of leisure time pedagogy. The outcomes of these activities shall be published in analytical and comparative studies, summaries of experience, informative and other publications.
Objectives:
- to develop and to co-ordinate special programs and activities in the field of non-formal education
- to develop and to support the meeting, intercultural exchange and the active participation of the children and the young people
- to promote actions of information, seminars, studies, training courses and research in the practice and policy of non-formal education
- to organise in partnership with the members workshops, seminars, training courses and conferences for workers, directors, policy makers, politicians and scholars in relationship to non-formal education
- to develop these practices and policies by taking into account the policies of (non-formal) education and of youth at the local, national and European level