The purpose and goals of the World Leisure Commission on Education, consistent with the general purpose and goals of the World Leisure Organization, are to facilitate and stimulate the training and development of leisure leaders world-wide and to develop leisure education programs and strategies through international exchange and cooperation.

Objectives 

• To promote awareness of the significance of leisure and recreation.

• To provide forums for discussion of global issues in all aspects of leisure education in the schools, in community settings, and in the training of personnel in the various areas of leisure education.

• To promote and foster quality research in leisure education.

• To disseminate information on leisure education.

• To promote and offer technical, educational and consultative services in leisure education to public and private organizations and institutions.

• To foster the development of international, regional and national policies and programs on leisure education.

Goals for the 2010-2012 Biennium

The World Leisure Commission on Education has established four program goals and two administrative goals for the 2010-2012 biennium between the Eleventh World Leisure Congress in ChunCheon, Republic of Korea, and the Twelfth World Leisure Congress in Rimini, Italy. Each of these six goals is supported by specific objectives.

• Goal One: Contribute leadership and expertise for advancing Leisure Education in the Schools.

• Goal Two: Provide leadership for advancing Outdoor Leisure Education.

• Goal Three: Provide leadership for advancing Active Leisure Education.

• Goal Four: Actively participate in the Twelfth World Leisure Congress in Remini, Italy.

• Goal Five: Expand membership in the World Leisure Commission on Education cooperatively with other World Leisure Commissions through the World Leisure Secretariat.

• Goal Six: Improve communications for the World Leisure Commission on Education cooperatively with other World Leisure Commissions through the World Leisure Secretariat.

Members of the World Leisure Commission on Education may become actively involved in these goals by contacting Commission Chair Steven J. Albrechtsen at albrechs@uww.edu.

Eleventh World Leisure Congress in ChunCheon City

Members of the World Leisure Commission on Education were active participants in the Eleventh World Leisure Congress in ChunCheon City, Republic of Korea. The World Leisure Commission on Education provided a roundtable entitled "Enhancing Quality of Life through Leisure Education" during the Eleventh World Leisure Congress. This roundtable built on the foundation of position statements of the World Leisure Organization, the World Leisure Commission on Education, and the American Association for Leisure and Recreation to facilitate discussion of opportunities and strategies to enhance quality of life through leisure education as our global society begins the second decade of the technological millennium. The roundtable concluded with a brief report on the World Leisure Commission on Education. Detailed information concerning the roundtable is presented below. The roundtable facilitated the third of four program elements involving Building on the Foundation of Past Accomplishments that was identified at the Tenth World Leisure Congress in Quebec City, Canada, and provided the foundation for the fourth program element involving Moving from Past Accomplishments to Future Successes which will continue through the Twelfth World Leisure Congress in Rimini, Italy.

Enhancing Quality of Life through Leisure Education

On behalf of the World Leisure Commission on Education, Steven J. Albrechtsen, University of Wisconsin (U.S.A.); Karen L. Barak, University of Wisconsin (U.S.A.); and Atara Sivan, Hong Kong Baptist University (Hong Kong) presented a roundtable to discuss opportunities and strategies to enhance quality of life through leisure education as our global society begins the second decade of the technological millennium.  The roundtable began with the foundation for quality of life through leisure education in the schools, including perspectives on work-life balance, leisure behavior and technology in the context of leisure.  The relationship between leisure education and physical education was explored to improve quality of life through active lifestyles and leisure.  Leisure education was applied to sport from participants through spectators, and the promotion of health, wellness and leisure was addressed as major components of quality of life in the context of leisure education.  The roundtable considered the role of leisure education in cultural identify, national identity and global identify, and the relationship between leisure education and tourism in a global society.  The foundation of leisure education in the schools was expanded to include outdoor leisure education to enhance quality of life in natural spaces, and the importance of leisure education was extended to quality of life throughout the lifespan.  The roundtable concluded with a brief report on the World Leisure Commission on Education.

The roundtable built on the foundation of position statements of the World Leisure Organization, including the World Leisure Charter for Leisure (1970, 1979, 2000) and the Sao Paulo Declaration (Brazil, 1998).  The roundtable expanded on the position papers of the World Leisure Commission on Education, including the World Leisure International Charter for Leisure Education (Jerusalem, 1993), the Position Statement on Physical Fitness and Activity in the Context of Leisure Education (Hong Kong, 2001), the International Position Paper of the World Leisure Commission on Education Task Force on Outdoor Leisure Education (USA, 2001), and the Position Statement on the Promotion of Health, Wellness and Leisure: Major Components of Quality of Life (Hong Kong, 2003).  The roundtable also considered the position statement of the American Association for Leisure and Recreation on Leisure Education in the Schools (USA, 2003).

Professor Steven J. Albrechtsen currently chairs the World Leisure Commission on Education and previously served as Special Advisor to the Secretary General of the World Leisure Organization.  Professor Karen L. Barak served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the World Leisure Organization, and served on the Program Committee for the Eleventh World Leisure Congress.  Professor Atara Sivan served on the Board of Directors of the World Leisure Organization, and worked closely with the late Professor Hillel Ruskin who chaired the World Leisure Commission on Education for many years.  Professors Albrechtsen and Sivan presented at the Hong Kong conferences, and contributed to the position statements and publications that resulted from those conferences.  Professor Barak chaired the task force that prepared the International Position Paper on Outdoor Leisure Education, and was an active member of the task force that developed the position statement on Leisure Education in the Schools.

Membership

Current members of the World Leisure Organization may indicate their interest in the World Leisure Commission on Education by e-mailing the World Leisure Secretariat at secretariat@worldleisure.org.  Former members and other non-members may join the World Leisure Organization and indicate their interest in the World Leisure Commission on Education through the World Leisure Organization website.  Members of the World Leisure Organization may become active in the World Leisure Commission on Education by contacting Commission Chair Steven J. Albrechtsen at albrechs@uww.edu or Chair-elect Alison Link at Alison@theleisurelinkconsulting.com.

Commission Chairs

Steven J. Albrechtsen
University of Wisconsin ( USA )
albrechs@uww.edu

Alison J. Link
Alison@theleisurelinkconsulting.com
Chair-elect