To all of you, I wish you a very happy new year. May 2022 be healthy and successful as well for each and all of you.The European Association of Second Chance Schools, E2C Europe, is involved in a development program, supported by the European Union, thanks to the S2CENE project which provides significant funding.
Switching from greetings to projects, I will say a few words about the significance for Europe of Second-Chance Education, then about networks, and finally about the process of strengthening.
Second Chance Education is built by providing answers to people who have not had a first chance. This presupposes responding skillfully and quickly to multiple problems, an artisanal relationship with the world, the possibility of discovering outcomes other than technical or administrative, new issues. Europe needs to progress in perceptions, to enrich its anthropological relationship with the world, we contribute to this. Our activity is linked to the democratic nature of the Institutions. Only democratic regimes ensure inclusion. Second Chance Education speaks to the most disadvantaged people in our societies. It contributes to a fairer equality of opportunity, and opens up the possibility of freer choices. Our democracies are not so valiant that they can ignore the need to seriously illustrate their fundamental principles.
Networks are people put into action on the grounds they know better than we do, and on which we must venture. Local networks are economic, political, cultural and associative actors... who discover our world and reveal their own. They are the vital environment of every E2C; its own magic. Congratulations to our trainers who make unlikely encounters possible. Global networks have a more institutional nature, but just as human. It is important for our Association to make its contribution to the definition of public policies, research programs, or corporate social responsibility... A network recognizes itself that no one wastes their time, that everyone can evolve with ease. It is necessary to strengthen our activity at European level. Depending on the age limits, there are between 7 and 10 million young people in the EU, since childhood in a situation of exclusion.
The European E2C network is strengthened thanks to the mobilization of its members, national networks, cities, foundations, our schools. And because our Board of Directors is invested in this process that will require more and more work, volunteer of course. We have the support of an exceptional professional team. Thanks to Céline Maillot, Bert Pelzer, Alison Guéret, for your dynamism. Our activity is strengthened because it has decided to say itself better, and of course because Europe gives it the means to do so.
Michel Haudry
President of E2C
