Written and approved in Lille
in meeting of the pilot group
on 22 June, 2004

(downloadable version of the charter)

Between the signatories and members of the present charter have decided to create an international network of social street workers.

I. Definition

The network privileges action in favour of street children, youngsters and adults in difficult circumstances. With respect for singularities or choice of self determination, these educational projects must be close to daily realities.

More particularly, the question is to introduce innovations in favour of children, youths and adults dwelling occasionally or permanently in the street as life environment, be it as a result of a choice and/or under duress.

Pirority is therefore given to general prevention, reduction of risks and remediation with a concern for social well being.

Non formal and informal education, action focussed on the child’s, the youngster’s and adult’s life environment will be privileged.

These innovations consist of three criteria :

- They imply a new manner of taking into account the demands of the children, the youngsters and the adults, both in the way these demands are understood and how they are answered.

- They usually proceed from the field, therefore as social answers to demands ; in the language of institutional analysis one would say they are the result of an establishing movement.

- They define and incorporate a reflection on what is at stake in the situation of the children, the youngsters and the adults with regard to society as a whole.

The object will be to arouse local and international solidarities between the associations and street educators engaged in the same type of mission on the field both North and South and who fight actively against discriminations and poverty, in favour of equality, emancipation but also to obtain access to fundamental needs such as food, health care and of course access to education and professional training.

II. Objectives 

The network sets itself the following objectives:

- Exchange of practices, training and reflection.
- Increasing of awareness both of opinion and public authorities; promotion of street social work in its specifications and with respect to the recommendations given at the Forum of November 2002.
- Solidarity and partnership between the participants of the network.
- Encouragement of creating a network at local level.

III. Methods

In each country:

- One or several street social workers workshops will mobilise in support of their needs and specifics.
- A co-ordinator will be appointed.
- He will convey the results and propositions among the members of the pilot group which meets twice a year.
- In case he is prevented, the workshop coordinator can arrange to be represented.
- The pilot group indicates the courses and priorities of the project.

More precisely, it will be a matter of meeting the fundamental needs of the street social workers, namely the necessity:

- to pursue the Forum of November 2002 by means of local activities (seminars, conferences,...), made to measure and adapted to situations and demands at hand;

- to set up projects "in clusters" (a few partners work in association in order to carry out an action they share);

- to study cross-section themes, about which there is an interest and the need to carry out a global action (the starting factors leading to chose the street as a place to live; the part played by the media; children’s rights; general and professional ethics, etc.);

- to make up for a deficit in terms of training, either basic or continued, of the actors led to work in the street.

IV. Structure

The structure is made up of:

1. Workshops

To become a member of the network and set up a workshop of street social workers, criteria should be met:

1.1. Each workshop must absolutely have at least 8 street social workers having a field experience. There is no maximum limit.

1.2. The workshop is borne by an existing structure or has its own identity (association, federation, collective). It is desirable that the workshop be constituted by street workers coming from different associations, in order to prioritise the start-up of a local network. The workshop gives official mandate to a co-ordinator. This act is sanctioned by a formal document made over to the secretariat.

1.3. The workshop co-ordinators undertake to communicate on a regular basis the information to the members of the workshop and to the secretariat.

1.4. Once created, each workshop remains independent in its way of functioning and its priorities.

1.5. If there are several workshops in a country, only one coordinator will be represented at the pilot group. If necessary, particular situations will be valuing by the pilot group.

1.6. The workshop meets at least once every two months in order to create a continued dynamic of reflection and mobilisation around various international activities and exchanges of practices with the other workshops.

1.7. The workshops undertake to respect the planned datelines.

1.8. The workshop co-ordinators promise to reply within the time allowed to any mail from the secretariat and received.

1.9. The co-ordinators advertise publicly the existence of the workshop and the collaboration with Dynamo International.

1.10. They communicate to the secretariat all papers appearing in the press or any other media about the projects of the network.

1.11. The workshops promises to transmit at the secretariat all useful information for new memberships.

1.12. The workshop is allowed to organise or co-organise any projects such as : seminar, pilot group, training session…

1.13. Each workshop can represent the network in its own country.

2. Secretariat and general co-ordination

2.2. Dynamo International carries out the directions decided by and ensures the secretariat and general co-ordination.

2.3. It promises to convey all information to the workshop co-ordinators and to reply to all information requests they may have.

2.4. It ensures the follow-up of the projects and the management of the Internet site : (www.travail-de-rue.net)

2.5. Dynamo International represents the network, ensures its promotion and organises and/or co-organises the meetings of the pilot groups.

2.6. It promises to seek the funds necessary to the global function of the network, including the costs of he secretariat and the general co-ordination, the costs for communication and those relating to the management of the Internet site.

2.7. It promises to seek with the partners of the network the other funds necessary for the different projects of the network, including the costs linked to the pilot group, trips, organisation of specific projects within the frame of starting up the network (publication, conferences, seminars, training, …)

2.8. It promises to organise with the partners the projects of the network, including international meetings, projects relating to the chosen themes and other projects decided by the pilot group.

2.9. It promises to facilitate the synergy and the co-operations which will help the partners in their projects outside the network.

2.10. However, it is their competence to examine any new requests for membership and to submit them to the pilot group which will have the final decision. The examination will control if the membership criteria contained in the present charter are being duly satisfied.

3. Regional grouping (America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Asia)

3.2. With a care for proximity and efficiency the workshops belonging to the same geographical region are called upon to co-operate more closely.

3.3. Each regional grouping is free to develop its proper projects according to their needs.

4. Pilot group

4.2. The pilot group gathers the workshop co-ordinators, the secretariat and the general co-ordinator.

4.3. Experts can be invited.

4.4. Pilot group meets twice a year, the minutes of the meeting will be written by the secretariat and sent to the members of the pilot group.

4.5. The pilot group decides which themes will be discussed and which projects will be launched within the network.

4.6. It can constitute workshops around particular projects (for instance : editorial staff).

4.7. Participation to all the projects of the network is not compulsory, but once voluntarily implied in a project, the workshop pledges to finalise it in accordance with the distinctive features, the requirements and terms and conditions of this project.

4.8. Le groupe pilote décide des demandes d’adhésion. Si les critères sont rencontrés, la décision d’adhésion d’un nouvel atelier devient effective après une période probatoire de 2 ans.

Written and approved in Lille in meeting of the pilot group on 22 June , 2004.

(downloadable version of the charter)