The International Association is active wherever colleagues work together on behalf of our shared ideals for the development of the young child.

This cooperation takes place through conferences, meetings, working groups, collaborative research projects, training and deepening courses, and the development of resources, as well as through partnerships and sponsorships among colleagues throughout the world. You can read about these diverse initiatives in Our Activities.

Responsibility for the Association’s activities is shared among its Council, Coordinating Group, Board, and Working Groups and Committees.

The Council

The Council is the main decision-making body for carrying out the purposes of the Association and for developing its educational and cultural goals.  The Council also functions as an organ of perception for the questions, needs and tasks of the worldwide movement of Waldorf early childhood education.

The Council meets twice each year for several days. It makes decisions about projects, working groups, conferences and other activities, and is responsible to appoint the Coordinating Group and Board and approve the annual budget.

Each recognized Full Member association appoints a representative to the Council, with a seven-year term of office. Council members serve as links between the colleagues in their own countries and those in the International Association.

 IASWECE Council Members in 2007-2008 are as follows:

Clara Aerts, Belgium
Els Blacquiere-Biesta, Netherlands
Louise deForest, North America
Marguerite Devane, Ireland
Svetlana Efremova, Russia
Svetlana Eks, Ukraine
Brigitte Goldmann, Austria
Jelena Gramotkina, Russia
Helle Heckmann, Denmark
Erika Henning, Germany
Regina Hoeck, Germany
Susan Howard, North America
Iruma, Kai, Japan
Mette Johannessen, Norway
Peter Lang, Germany
Oliver Langscheid,  Germany
Renate Long-Breipohl, Australia
Geseke Lundgren, Sweden
Gudrid Malmsten, Sweden
Janni Nicol, United Kingdom
Luciana Pederiva, Italy
Barbara Piesak, Poland
Philipp Reubke, France
Eija Sarasin-Korhonen, Finland
Ann Sharfman, South Africa
Tánja Smolková, Czech Republic
Ines Spittler, liaison to South America
Sorin Tigareanu, Romania
Lourdes Tormes-Granados, Spain
Jacqueline Walter-Baumgartner, Switzerland

Council members can be contacted through the Member Country Associations on the Home Page.

THE COORDINATING GROUP

The Coordinating Group is responsible for managing the business and facilitating the work of the Association.  There are currently two members of the Coordinating Group, working on a half-time basis for IASWECE. 

Susan Howard is responsible for coordinating membership, publications, conferences, working groups and Council communication. She can be reached at s.howard@iaswece.org or at 001 413 549 5930 in Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.

Geseke Lundgren works at the IASWECE office in Stockholm, Sweden. She is responsible for coordinating partnerships, support for projects, fundraising, and collaboration with other organizations. She can be reached at g.lundgren@iaswece.org or at 0046-855 170 250 in Stockholm, Sweden.

The Board

The Board carries the legal and financial responsibility for the Association. Board members are elected by the Council for terms of three to five years. Most Board members are also Council members. The Board meets several times each year to oversee the preparation of the budget and financial reports, and to act as a speaking partner and mirror for the Coordinating Group.

The Members of the Board for 2007-2008 are:

Clara Aerts, Vosselaar, Belgium
Oliver Langscheid, Neustadt, Germany
Philipp Reubke, Colmar, France
Jacqueline Walter-Baumgartner, Rheinfelden, Switzerland

Task Force Groups, Committees and Working Groups are also established from time to time to address burning issues, engage in collaborative research, or conduct the activities of the Association.  For more information, go to Our Activities.