If you work as a youth worker for less than 80 days a year in non-formal education, socio-cultural activities, leisure activities or educational support for groups of minors, the "contrat d'engagement éducatif" (CEE) is for you. It's an essential tool for establishing a solid foundation for your collaboration with the employing organization. It transparently defines the expectations, responsibilities, rights and obligations of each party, thus fostering an environment conducive to learning, education and the personal development of participants, while guaranteeing compliance with the law and educational values.
Here's some information on the "contrat d'engagement éducatif" (educational commitment contract) that may be of great use to you as a professional in the sector.
What exactly is an educational commitment contract in animation?
The " contrat d'engagement éducatif", used in the field of socio-cultural and educational animation, governs the relationship between the animator and the employer, establishing the terms and conditions of work. It also aims to ensure that the activities you propose as an animator are aligned with educational and pedagogical objectives.
This contractual document is of great importance in establishing a clear working relationship between the organizer or educator and the organization that employs you, emphasizing the educational aspects of your mission.
It creates a precise, mutually agreed framework for the organization and implementation of educational activities. It ensures the safety, well-being and fulfillment of participants, while protecting your rights and those of the employing organization.
This type of contract can be used in a variety of contexts, such as after-school programs, summer camps, leisure centers, children's recreational activities, and other similar environments.
Who does the EWC affect?
Here are some common elements you might find in an educational contract for animation:
- You, asanimators, educators and center directors, are professionals in the field of animation and education. You are responsible for planning, coordinating and leading educational, cultural, sports and leisure activities for children and teenagers. Your work takes place on an ad hoc basis within various structures, such as summer camps, youth clubs, cultural associations, vacation or leisure centers for minors.
- Employers: whether local authorities, organizations, institutions or associations, they are the ones who recruit activity leaders to set up educational and/or leisure programs.
- Beneficiaries of the activities: these are the minors who take part in the activities supervised by the activity leaders.
Elements included in the EWC
Here are some common elements you might find in an educational contract for animation:
- Working conditions: the contract invariably specifies your working conditions, including the duration of the commitment, remuneration, working hours, vacations, fringe benefits, benefits in kind, and so on. It's important to note that the educational commitment contract is specific and authorizes a number of working hours per week of up to 48 hours (as long as they don't exceed 6 consecutive months), with a weekly rest period of only 24 hours and a daily rest period of at least 11 consecutive hours, although this period may be reduced depending on whether or not you are accommodated on site.
- A description of your missions and tasks, such as planning, leading and supervising activities, ensuring the safety of participants, managing groups...
- Your responsibilities towards participants, including expectations regarding your interactions with them, conflict management, communication with parents...
- The values to which you must adhere in the course of your work, such as respect for diversity, inclusion, non-discrimination, benevolence...
- The educational and pedagogical objectives of the activities, defining what you are expected to achieve in terms of learning, personal development and fulfillment of the participants. This may include skills to be acquired, values to be promoted, knowledge to be shared...
- Training: the contract may mention the continuing training opportunities offered to improve your skills.
- Standards of behavior and conduct: guidelines on expected professional behavior, such as compliance with confidentiality rules, safety instructions or the policy of the employing organization.
- Protection of rights: the contract may contain clauses relating to your rights and duties, not forgetting the protection of children's rights.
- Supervision arrangements: an indication of how you will be supervised and assessed in your work.
- How you or your employer can terminate or end your contract, and the procedures to follow in the event of a dispute.
- Management of association expenses, including details of association pro account or association online account.
It goes without saying that the contract must comply with current legislation on labor law and other regulations specific to the educational animation sector.
What distinguishes the "contrat d'engagement éducatif" from usual employment contracts, in addition to working hours, is that it clearly specifies expectations in terms of animation, professional ethics and moral and educational values.