The Wellington WEA has been operating since 1915. It is the oldest adult education provider in the region.

The aims of the Wellington Workers’ Educational Association are outlined in its constitution (updated at the 2016 AGM) but the principle aim is the advancement, encouragement and provision of continuing and community education of adults that promotes a just and more equitable society and which takes account of the Treaty of Waitangi as the founding document of Aotearoa New Zealand

The Wellington Workers’ Educational Association has a strong focus on social justice and education for social change. The highlights of their activity this year include two film screenings, a public talk by Renters United, a workshop on citizen journalism and a new reading group. In March of 2019 they set up the Little Red Reading Group, a group to study the fundamentals of socialist thought. It meets on the last Sunday of every month and has quickly established itself as a strong focus for debate and discussion. One of the strengths of the Wellington WEA is a strong commitment to intergenerational engagement and the reading group is no exception with members ranging in age from high school students to retired trade union organisers. One of the film screenings included a unique presentation by Chloé Boiteux, a member of a French autonomous-anarchist collective. The Les Scotcheuses collective made a documentary on the French blockade movement that successfully stopped construction of the proposed Grand Ouest Airport in Notre-Dame-des-Landes, near the city of Nantes. They were very pleased to receive a small grant from the organisers of the Festival of Adult Learning which allowed them to host a very well-received, day long workshop on citizen journalism. The workshop included sessions on community radio and podcasting, mastering social media and street photography. This year they also enhanced our social media presence. Their long-standing, weekly community radio programme, Education for Social Change, now features episodes in the form of podcasts on their revamped website. The addition of the podcasts has helped the website to achieve over 1,300 visitors and over 3,000 views this year, in addition to over 400 followers on Facebook.

Wellington Workers’ Educational Association Inc. 

Registered charity no. CC35176
Website: wellingtonwea.org.nz
PO Box 11158, Manners St, Wellington, New Zealand
Tel:  027 665 5489

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