This is the network of EAEA members' younger staff.
Background
In September 2011 EAEA hosted a Grundtvig In-Service training for younger staff working in field of adult education. Participants were young professionals from 11 different organizations mainly working within the EAEA member-organisations. The objective was twofold; we were given an introduction to how the interests of non-formal adult education is handled on the European level and we formed the embryo for what could become a network for younger staff members to exchange ideas and experiences - for the potential benefit of the member-organisations as well as non-formal education as a whole. This idea was discussed with much enthusiasm and we decided to keep exploring the possibilities through e-mail and social networks, upon returning home.
Vision
The EAEA Younger Staff Network envisions a world where the pedagogy and teaching methods of our brand of adult education becomes a widely known and used tool for social progress, democratization and active citizenship. In order to achieve such a dream we must create platforms for interaction and exchange within our field and bring together an all-embracing vision of our collective dreams for the future of non-formal adult education.
Nowadays, the main challenge of the adult education related organisations is the "age gap", the situation where many managers, heads, principals and directors within our field are rapidly nearing retirement age. This problem could potentially hinder the progression and goals of the adult education field, as there seems to be no clear plan for succession and in many organisations there is a lack of younger staff to provide for the future. The EAEA Younger Staff Network will be a training ground of sorts, where a new generation of Adult Educators could learn more about the European level and interact, learn and exchange ideas with older staff with experience.
Aims and objectives
The EAEA Younger Staff Network aims at:
- growing the network within our own countries and across Europe
- learning about European developments in adult education and lifelong learning
- developing advocacy work at European level
- exchanging information and knowledge about network membersī organisations and adult education backgrounds
- sharing good practice and information about related project work in adult education and lifelong learning
- working collaboratively on European funded projects
Projects
The EAEA Younger Staff Network will also play host to a number of projects and ventures. The first the network have decided to tackle is intergenerational training. Currently the YSN is waiting for an approval of a project proposal called Active interGEnerational learnING: bridging the gap.
Extended invite
The founding members of the EAEA Younger Staff Network could function as a project- and working group but they believe that it would be beneficial for the member-organisations if new staff members could be introduced to EAEA on a yearly basis. Membership could then be extended to other interested staff working in a member-organisation and/or their affiliates. Initial exchanges will be carried out electronically and through social networks but physical meetings are also foreseen.
