Dictionary of Sydney

The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

Workers' Educational Association Sydney

Sydney branch of the Workers' Educational Association (WEA Sydney), a not-for-profit adult education organisation originally founded in England in 1903 to provide ongoing education for working people. It began in Sydney in 1913 as a joint undertaking by the trade union movement and the University of Sydney and continues to offer a broad range of adult education programs.

Milestone
Formed
1913
Name
Alternate
WEA Sydney
Alternate
WEA Metropolitan
Position
1913 - Aug 1954
1915 - 1918
1916 - 1930
1965 - 1981
Property
Occupied
1916 - 1938
Owner of
1924 - 1976
Occupied
1939 - 1948
Occupied
1950 - 1961
Occupied
1959 - 1969
Owner of
1971 -
Occupied
1971 -
Type

The foundation of the Workers' Educational Association Sydney

,
2018
supported by

The Sydney branch of the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA Sydney) is one of Australia’s oldest and most prominent provider of continuing education for adults. It began in 1913 as a joint undertaking by the trade union movement and the University of Sydney to build a progressive organisation committed to enabling adult working people to gain a liberal education. Throughout its history it has been non-partisan and non-political, despite significant pressure from both within and without, and student-directed. The WEA's democratic structure has provided it with a strong foundation to meet shifting community and government expectations of adult and continuing education and to remain relevant in the twenty-first century.

The Workers' Educational Association in the post-war era

,
2018
supported by

The Sydney Branch of the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) was founded with a democratic structure that enabled it to thrive in the postwar era and meet shifting community and government expectations of adult and continuing education, while remaining relevant and independent, into the twenty-first century.