Charitable purpose and principles of the WEA

The purpose of the Workers’ Educational Association is to promote adult education based on democratic principles in its organisation and practice, through the participation of its voluntary members. In order to achieve this the WEA has the following aims and principles:

Aims

• We aim to stimulate and respond to the demand of adults for liberal education, through the direct provision of courses and other activities.


• We aim to provide in particular for the needs of working class adults, and of those who are socially, economically or educationally disadvantaged.


• We aim to provide educational programmes for organisations concerned with the collective needs of adults in the community and the workplace .


• We aim to further the advancement of education to the end that all children, adolescents and adults may have full access to the education needed for their complete individual and social development.

Principles

• We shall uphold the principle that full and lifelong access to education is necessary for the development of an open and democratic society.


• We believe that the individual and social outcomes of good educational processes cannot always be subject to quantitative measurements.


• We believe that democratic voluntary participation in the design and delivery of educational programmes strengthens the effectiveness and enhances the quality of our programmes.


• We shall oppose discrimination in matters of gender, sexual orientation, race, faith, age and disability in all areas of our work. We are non-party in politics.


• We are committed to promoting and developing international awareness and co-operation in the educational process as a means of advancing human rights, sustainable development and civil society.