http://www.literacyeurope.org/

International Reading Association

Since 1956, IRA has been a nonprofit, global network of individuals and institutions committed to worldwide literacy.  More than 60,000 members strong, the Association supports literacy professionals through a wide range of resources, advocacy efforts, volunteerism, and professional development activities. Members promote high levels of literacy for all by:

Improving the quality of reading instruction Disseminating research and information about reading Encouraging the lifetime reading habit

The mission of the International Reading Association is to promote reading by continuously advancing the quality of literacy instruction and research worldwide.

International Development in Europe Committee (IDEC)

Was constituted as an ad-hoc committee in 1979 to promote communication and cooperation among existing national reading associations in Europe, and with the International Reading Association. Is one of eight International development committees that operate under IRA's International Development Co-ordinating Committee.

ChargesWork with the International Development Coordinating Committee to achieve its charges and goals Explore and facilitate the promotion of literacy and IRA membership in Europe Plan and implement strategies for promoting local and Association membership, through an emphasis on professional development Report activities to the International Development Coordinating Committee and to the IRA board liaisonWork collaboratively with the Executive Director of IRA in the identification of and/or support of professional development projects in the region

Membership and meetingsMembers of IDEC are reading/literacy organisations that are national affiliates of the International Reading Association, or organisations that are in the process of becoming affiliates. The representatives come together twice a year for business meetings. The agenda includes reporting and planning of activities aiming at strengthening the network, the charges, special projects and reports by the national affiliates.

ActivitiesMeetings twice a yearSeminarsEuropean ConferencesLeadership WorkshopsProjectsRegional CooperationCommunication between meetings

The beginningRegional cooperation in the Nordic countries from the 1960’sFirst European gathering in Beaumont-sur-Oise, France, in 1977Anglo-Scandinavian Conference in Leeds 1979Gwen Bray & Kay Whiley first leaders

From small group...First associations were from West Europe - Austria, Belgium (Flemish), Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

First meetings were not regular held in Copenhagen, Luxembourg, StockholmCommunication was by ordinary mail, time-consuming and expensive

First participant from East Europe – Hungary 19881989-1999 growth of member Associations from 10-20

Austria Belgium (Flemish) Belgium (French) Bulgaria Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Israel

Latvia LithuaniaLuxembourg Macedonia (FYROM) Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia Slovak Republic Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom

Cyprus in a process

Professional seminarsTo give meetings a professional content parallel to ”business”. IDEC meeting hosting association may arrange a seminar before or after the meeting. To support new literacy associations. Seminars are often arranged to promote the area of special interest for the hosting association.IDEC members and local members share experiences and ideas for mutual benefit. IDEC members offer their expertise by taking part as speakersTo keep our common project(s) goingIDEC members get a glimpse of local culture

European Conferences on Reading

After the second European Conference in Joensuu, Finland, conferences have been held every second yearOrganised by the IDEC and the local national association's organising committee. Geographical distribution so that all parts of Europe (if not all countries) get to arrange a conferenceAttendance has ranged from 150 to over 500Show case of the professional activities of the European and International network of the members of the IDEC and IRA

European Conferences1977 Beaumont-sur-Oise, France 1981 Joensuu, Finland 1983 Vienna, Austria 1985 Dublin, Ireland1987 Salamanca, Spain1989 Berlin, Germany1991 Edinburgh, Scotland1993 Malmö, Sweden1995 Budapest, Hungary1997 Brussels, Belgium

1999 Stavanger, Norway 2001 Dublin, Ireland2003 Tallinn, Estonia 2005 Zagreb, Croatia2007 Berlin, Germany2009 Braga, Portugal2011 Mons, Belgium (French)2013 Jönköping, Sweden2015 Austria

Leadership WorkshopsArranged together with IRA division for professional development and sponsored by IRAStarting in 1991 six workshops:Prague, Czech Republic (1991), Tallinn, Estonia (1992),Fuengirola, Spain (1995), Vienna, Austria (1999), Rethymnon, Crete, Greece (2004), Cluj-Napoca, Romania (2008).

Planned Ljubljana Slovenia January 2014IRA has sponsored leadership conferences for all national affiliates around the world in the past (taking place in the US or Canada)

European AwardThe purpose of the IRA Award for Innovative Reading Promotion in Europe is to recognize, celebrate and reward innovative work for reading promotion in Europe carried out by or for a European national reading association affiliated to the IRA. Award is presented at the European Conferences.

AVARDEES1. A United Kingdom based project implementing a European dimension in primary education through using children‘s literature, 1997 in Brussels, Belgium2. A Croatian Bibliotherapy project for war-traumatised children, 2001 in Dublin, Ireland3. An Estonian Interactive Literature Project “Reading is Fun”, 2005 in Zagreb, Croatia4. A Portuguese Intervention Program concerned with literacy practices of young children and adolescents “Giving life to Letters... and to Young People”, 2007 in Berlin, Germany5. An Estonian project “Reading Nest” for creating motivating reading environments, 2009 in Braga, Portugal6. A Slovenian project „Roma People, Invited to the Library“, 2011 in Mons, Belgium7. An Ireland project "An intervention to improve the literacy skills of deaf children" , 2013 in Jönköping Sweden

Regional cooperationIDEC started in regional cooperation and as it grows this again becomes more important; it also opens up for forming new alliances with other organizations and institutionsEstablished among Nordic countries since the 1960’s, 14 Nordic Conferences have taken placeOther regional conferences have taken place: Francophone in Belgium, in German-speaking countries, Central European in Bratislava, international conferences in Greece, Baltic Sea conference in Latvia, Ibero-American Forum (to include Latin-American countries). Planned Mediterranean Conference Crete, Greece, May 2014Bilateral cooperation, e.g. Finland-Estonia, Germany- Bulgaria

Projects First project: handbook for cooperative activities in Europe, ultimate purpose to find ways to develop IDEC activities (started at the first leadership workshop, partly sponsored by IRA) Second project: SWLT - Schools Where Literacy Thrives (started in 1998 at the London meeting); purpose to collect examples of positive literacy teaching in European countries. Celebration of its ten years of existence took place in Moscow in March this yearThird project: to develop effective communication devices for IDEC on the website (obscure starting point, ever ongoing process, no special funding) and othe communication toolsExchange programme (from 1997) allows educators from national RA-s to visit other IDEC member countries in order to enhance their professional development

A WINDOW TO THE WORLD- Learning something of interesting developments in other

countries;- Exchanging views on IRA matters- Leadership conferences and workshops which we find

useful- Engaging IDEC-members as speakers and trustful

participants at national seminars and conferences- Exchanging articles and information and participating in/

read/ write about conferences abroad- Being a resource about Multilingualism and Minority

Languages. We have a unique representation of the current literacy

and linguistic situation in more than 33 countries.

HELP AND INSPIRATION- IDEC has taught us a lot of administrative skills- Gaining experience by arranging the European

Reading Conferences- The national reports of all member countries

contain a lot of inspiring information and fruitful ideas on how to possibly develop your own association. This versatility is amazing.

- Learning from each other and working out our own style of work that  characterizes OUR work.

The first association with IDEC is - dear friends*Answers of IDEC representatives from Denmark, Finland,

Ireland, Israel, Norway, Russia, Sweden, UK

Benefits for individual IDEC members*

IDEC ENRICHED MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE- participating in seminars and conferences with colleagues

from a range of countries.- staying informed about what´s going on in the field in

other countries- getting latest information about research and other

literacy issues internationally - picking up concrete ideas for my everyday work. - IDEC contacts help to do research.- opportunity to access information when you require it.- visiting institutions of teacher education in other countries;

IDEC ENRICHED MY PERSONAL LIFE- Gaining insight into different countries/cultures

approach to literacy and education - Understanding the value of voluntary work for

literacy for peaceful collaboration. - Learning that whenever I give something of my

own professional knowledge I gain the same amount or usually more from those I work with.

- As a non-English speaker you master English, with so many good teachers

- Organizing skills are really put to the test

IDEC IS A VERY DEAR HOME- Meeting lively, engaged and informed

colleagues working for the same goal and discovering their perspectives on the world of literacy learning.

- Opportunity to establish a personal network and friendships internationally.

- The possibility of combining friendship with professionalism.

- Some IDEC members are my friends for life.- I have had so many precious moments at

meetings and seminars. IDEC has been invaluable. * Answers from IDEC representatives Ann-Sofie, Arnhild,

Gerry, Eldbjørg, Henrietta, Karen, Lena, Målfrid, Shlomo, Ulla-Britt

Past chairpersons of IDECGwen Bray & Kay Whiley UKRitva Rauhala (Koivusaari) FinlandAlistar Hendry UKUlla-Britt Persson SwedenPehr-Olof Rönnholm FinlandGreg Brooks UKEldbjørg T. Lyssand NorwayGerry Shiel IrelandAnn-Sofie Selin Finland