ORGANIZING BUREAU OF EUROPEAN SCHOOL STUDENT UNIONS

The Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU) is the platform for cooperation between the national school student unions active in general secondary and secondary vocational education in Europe. It was founded in April 1975 in Dublin, Ireland and brings together 30 Member, Candidate and Affiliate Organisations from 24 countries all over Europe. All Member Organisations are independent, national, representative and democratic school student organisations. OBESSU represents school students as relevant stakeholders of their educational systems and in issues concerning their lives. This core mission makes OBESSU relevant to the field of youth and to field of education, as our mission is also to contribute to the development of democratic participation at all levels and promoting and fostering solidarity among young people. As one of the youngest groups among the “youth” group, school students organisations play a fundamental role in the non-formal and informal education of young people, by practicing democracy and participation in the organisation and lobbying for change. In short, OBESSU aims at: - representing the school students as stakeholders of their educational systems, and in issues concerning their lives; - providing the national school student unions with assistance and support and to co-operate for the development of school student representative structures; - encouraging and enabling exchange of experience and good practice among the national school students unions; - promoting equal access to education and to strive for the end of all discrimination and injustice within the educational systems; - contributing to the development of democratic educational systems in Europe, that promote active citizenship in all forms; - promoting solidarity and understanding between young people; - promoting new teaching methods in learning and promote healthy teaching environment. OBESSU is a platform run by school students, through the General Assembly, which elects a Board of 5 people. The daily operations of the organisation are performed by the Secretariat, based in Brussels and currently composed of 8 people.