The Fédération nationale des Francas propose innovative solutions in the domain of education and has lead significant collective mobilisation on issues of education since it was created in 1944.
The Francas are recognised as:
• A educator serving childhood on the local level
• An organiser of collective educative recreation
• A space for socialisation for all, between school and the family
• A framework for training on community living and responsibility
• A citizen, associative movement and a generator of solutions
• An innovative partner to public authorities, the state and territorial collectivities.
A Popular Education federation
The Francas, a national, secular federation of structures and activities has an indivisible educative, social and cultural mission. The Francas take action so that all children and adolescents have access to quality recreation, with the goal of giving them access to active citizenship. They are united around common values – humanism, liberty, equality, solidarity, secularism, peace – which they bring to life each day through their educative action. Recognised as “public utility” ‘(Reconnue d’utilité publique), registered as a youth and Popular Education association, registered as an educative association complementary to public education, the Fédération nationale des Francas take action, by rebuilding the foundation of the Republican school system, to develop education holistically.
A movement of civil society actors
Since 1944, the Francas have brought together men and women concerned with the emancipation of children and adolescents, as trailblazers and often precursors. Several concepts born of the Francas’ reflections and actions have since been developed by the public authorities, notably: patronages laïcs (secular spaces for educative recreation), peri-curricular activities, centres aérés (activity centres), CLAE (school-associated recreation centres) and later recreation centres, local educative projects, and the citizenship of minors.
An educative presence in the territories
The Francas take local action in the following domains: advice, accompaniment and evaluation for local educative dynamics and policies, territorial educative projects (PEDT), qualitative improvementof educational projects and activities during free time and in various educative spaces, development of peri- and extra-curricular educative recreation centres, pedagogical productions, support for associations and their initiatives, training and qualification of educative actors (part-time and full-time facilitators, local elected officials, association leadership, territorial civil servants, teachers, etc.), direct managementof structures and of local socio-educative activities, organisations of events and debates, etc.
A plethora of educative practices in response to social issues
Local organisers of educative recreational activities for children and adolescents and the departmental associations of the Francas implement diverse activities: outdoor, environmental and sustainable development activities (the centres A’ERE concept); media education (Exprime toile blog, Francas radio stations); citizenship (“Take action for your rights” artistic contests, philosophy with children); ATEC (Temporary associations of child citizens); physical and sporting activities; cultural and artistic activities (especially visual arts and heritage projects – C’est mon Patrimoine); activities for scientific and technical discovery (cyber r@llye scientifique (scientific cyber rally), model rockets, astronomy – Petite Ourse (Ursa Minor); educative actions on international solidarity; international projects; intercultural initiatives; European projects; education on Europe; education on consumption; health education; organisation of activity bases, of mini-trips, of camps and vacation centres, along others.
An innovative partner to the public authorities
On their own or through educative groups and in view of partnering with the state and with territorial collectivities, the Francas contribute to developing innovative solutions for current educative issues.
Key figures for the National Federation of the Francas
50,000 volunteers
82 departmental and territorial associations
12 regional unions
1,200 member organisers
1.7 million children and adolescents accommodated each year
5,000 affiliated activity centres
4,500 activity professionals (facilitators, directors, coordinators) and 11,000 volunteer facilitators (with aptitude certificate for facilitation and direction, BAFA and BAFD) trained each year
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