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Belgium-French-Community

Belgium-French-Community

Glossary

Last update: 28 November 2023

Decree: law applying only to a community or a regional level.



Ministry: designate the government's services. Can be used as well as public services or administration. The Ministry of the French Community is divided into thematical administrations such as General Administration of Culture or General Administration of Education. 



Youth Organisation (OJ): association active at the Community-wide level,organising activities for people from 3 to 30 years old and promoting the development of a critical, active and responsible citizenship. Youth Organisations are ruled by the decree " Décret du 26 mars 2009 fixant les conditions d'agrément et de subventions aux Organisations de Jeunesse". The are 5 different kinds of Youth Organisation: Thematic Movements (political or citizen movements), Youth Movements (scouting movements), Youth Services (mainly animation and training), Federations of Youth Organisations and Federations of Youth Centers. 



Thematic Movement: see Youth Organisation.



Youth Movement: see Youth Organisation.



Youth Service: see Youth Organisation.



Youth Centre (CJ): association active at a local level, organising activities mainly for people from 12 to 26 years old and promoting the development of a critical, active and responsible citizenship. Youth Centres are ruled by the decree " Décret du 20 juillet 2000 fixant les conditions d'agrément et de subventionnement des maisons de jeunes, centres de rencontres et d'hébergement et centres d'information des jeunes et de leurs fédérations". The are 3 different kinds of Youth Centres: Youth Clubs (mainly animations and projects), Youth Hostels (mainly accomodation) and Youth Information Centres (mainly information).



Youth Club: see Youth Centre.



Youth Hostel: see Youth Centre.



Youth Information Centre: see Youth Centre.



Holiday’s Centre: their missions are to contribute to the supervision, education and the development of children during the school holidays by organising residential or not activities such as trips, camps or animations. Holiday Centres are ruled by the decree ""Décret du 17 mai 1999 relatif aux centres de vacances"".



Homework School: "Homework Schools are not schools properly speaking. They are associations active in the intellectual development of the child, in particular through help with homework and school remediation and in the development of the child's creativity by playful activities and animation. They are ruled by the decree ""Décret du 28 avril 2004 relatif à la reconnaissance et au soutien des écoles de devoirs""."



Youth Council: is the official advisory body and spokesperson for the youth in the French Community (created by the decree "Décret du 14 novembre 2008 instaurant le Conseil de la Jeunesse en Communauté française). Not to be confused with a student's council nor a classroom council.



OEJAJ: stands for Observatory for Children, Youth and Youth Welfare (French Community public service). The Observatory produces studies and helps public decision-making on children and youth.



BIJ: stands for International Youth Office (French Community public service). The BIJ manage various international non-formal education programs for French-speaking young poeple in Wallonia and Brussels.



Youth Welfare: is the social part of the youth policies in the French Community, next to the cultural part which is represented by the Youth Organisation, Youth Centres, Youth Council, Holiday Centres and Homework Schools. Youth Welfare addresses young people to 20 years old and is ruled by the decree "Décret du 4 mars 1991 relatif à l'Aide à la Jeunesse". Youth Welfare provides different kinds of services such as : Open Aid Services (AMO), Centres for the Care of Child Abuse, Emergency reception centres, Educational Assistance and Intervention Service, Guardianship Services, Judicial Protection Services, etc.



Certificate of Secondary Education: secondary education takes place after six years of primary education and is followed by higher education or employment. The Secondary education lasts 6 years and is divided into 3 degrees (2 years each). The Certificate of Lower Secondary Education (CE1D) is awarded to pupils at the end of the 1st degree. The Certificate of Upper Secondary Education (CESS) is issued at the end of third degree.



ONE: stands for Birth and Childhood Office (public service).



General Delegate for the Rights of the Child: French Community's Delegate for mediation, review and recommendation concerning the applying of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child.