About IPA EWNI

International Play Association – England, Wales and Northern Ireland (IPA EWNI) Committee

Human childhood is a highly creative phase in every human life history – a time phase shaped and framed by characteristics shared by all races and all people. Childhood is thus a combination of the uniquely cultural and therefore human, and the wholly natural and therefore biological.

After Edith Cobb (1976 p29) The Ecology of Imagination in Childhood

Purpose of the Committee:

IPA EWNI aims to uphold the right of all children and young people to time, freedom and space to play in their own way by:

Promoting the premise that playing is a universal behaviour
- that the benefits to children and young people achieving their right to play are shared by all races and people around the world
Fostering and facilitating evidence gathering and exchange (beyond and between international borders):
- to inform, invigorate, critique and enhance research, policy and practice relating to play, environments for play and playwork
- recognising that international professional networking and relationship building encourages mutual support and promotes understanding

Objectives

This can be achieved through:

Debating in all relevant national and international areas, the philosophical and practical rationales for intervening in children’s play and the appropriateness and effectiveness of the various responses that have arisen from them
Advising and supporting the IPA International network and Board to effectively work to influence international bodies and agencies
Facilitating the international exchange of evidence and experience (for instance events, articles, papers, contribution to PlayRights magazine, website and supporting study visits)
Contributing to global consultation initiatives
Facilitating ‘cross-fertilisation’ between disciplines that have an interest or impact on children and young people’s play, environments for play and playwork
Setting up working groups as necessary to support activities in line with our aims

Membership

IPA EWNI Committee membership will be made up of individuals and agencies willing to support this work.

For your information the current Executive Committee members (2010-11) are as follows:

Mike Greenaway - Chair; Blanche Thompson - Treasurer; Paul Soames - Secretary; Bob Hughes - Membership Secretary; Felicity Sylvester; Gill Evans; Keith Cranwell; Paul Hocker; Perry Else; Karen Wilkinson