Our Approach

IFWEA Our Approach

Our Vision

A world where all working people have access to lifelong learning opportunities which enable them to claim and exercise their inalienable rights, responsibilities and freedoms as global citizens.

Mission Statement

To build a global knowledge community which facilitates global cooperation between worker educators, so as to advance the frontiers of knowledge, education methodology and practices of democratic worker organisations promoting freedom, justice and equality for all.

Our Strategy

Our Strategic Plan for 2020 – 2023 is to build a global knowledge community which facilitates global co-operation between worker educators so as to advance the frontiers of knowledge, education methodology and practises of democratic worker organisations promoting freedom, justice and equality for all.

Click to download Strategic Plan 2020 – 2024

Our Constitution

Annual Reports

IFWEA General Secretary Annual Report 2022

Click to download the report

Funding

IFWEA’s core budget is derived from the affiliation fees of its member organisations. The Secretariat and programme activities are supported by members’ donations and grants from development agencies. During its existence of 73 years, IFWEA has received funding from the European Union (EU); International Labour Organisation (ILO); United Nations UNESCO); solidarity support agencies in Norway, Finland, the Netherlands and the UK; Friedrich Ebert Stiftung; War on Want; Oxfam, DFID; and the UK Community Fund. The Olof Palme International Center (OPIC) is currently the core funding partner of IFWEA, and supports IFWEA’s Strategic Programme.

Conferences

IFWEA’s highest decision making body is the international General Conference, which meets every four years and elects the General Secretary, President and Executive Committee. The 24th international General Conference of IFWEA will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, in December 2023. The theme of the conference will be Education for Empowerment.

The last IFWEA General Conference was held in Cape Town, South Africa from 2 – 4 December 2019. The 23rd conference featured the slogan Education for Social Change: Popular, not Populist as the theme, with IFWEA once again committing itself to providing educational and methodological support for trade unions, and supporting new formations and associations such as community based organisations and member based organisations who are working to improve livelihoods, socio-economic and political protections for vulnerable workers.

Click to access the 2019 Full Conference Report and the Conference Reports and Plans