About AIEJI

AIEJI – International Association of Social Educators is an international organization for social educators and their national associations, dedicated to developing the profession and its practices. Every four years, AIEJI hosts a World Congress for social educators and others interested in the field.

The World Congress is AIEJI’s key event, where new ideas and knowledge in social education are shared. In 2025, Denmark will host the congress from May 19-22 in Copenhagen.

The Origins of AIEJI

AIEJI was founded in response to post-war efforts to improve understanding between professionals working with troubled youth. In 1949, the Cultural Division of the French High Commissioner’s Office in Germany tasked H. Van Etten (Netherlands), H. Joubrel (France), and Karl Härringer (Germany) with organizing an international meeting on education for troubled children and youth.

The first meeting took place in April 1949, originally intended for French and German participants but later expanded to include representatives from other countries. Follow-up meetings were held in 1950 (Bad Dürkheim) and 1951 (Freiburg-im-Breisgau), fostering enthusiasm for the social educator profession.

At the fourth conference on March 19, 1951, participants formally established the International Organization of Workers for Troubled Children and Youth (AIEJI). D.Q.R. Mulock Houwer from the Netherlands was elected the first president, and the association’s headquarters were set in the Netherlands.

AIEJI’s logo — a gazelle leaping in front of a globe with the Latin motto "In Libertate Sursum" — was inspired by road signs in Germany’s Black Forest, symbolizing the association’s dynamic growth and forward movement.

Since its founding, AIEJI has grown to include national organizations from across the world, all united in advancing the field of social education.

Publications from AIEJI

AIEJI is dedicated to publishing papers and documents that discuss ethical guidelines, the professional platform, qualifications and competencies, challenges, and the development of social educators as a profession and its field of work.

Find the publications here: http://aieji.net/publications/