Who we are and where we come from
ECAP is a non-profit adult education organisation that has been active since 1970.
As an intercultural organisation, we are constantly developing thanks to the strong commitment and professional expertise of our staff, while remaining true to our roots and values.
We are committed to solidarity, equal opportunities and education as the key to participation in social life.
Our work is politically independent but socially committed. Our actions are based on two fundamental beliefs:
- education is a fundamental right for all people
- diversity enriches our society.
These beliefs guide our daily commitment, in particular in:
- supporting the social and professional integration of migrants
- promoting the acquisition of skills and knowledge that enable independent and responsible living.
Who we work for
Our training programmes are primarily aimed at adults with a migrant background – regardless of their residence status, educational level or language skills. We particularly support access to education and training for people with little schooling.
Our training programmes
To achieve our goals, we organise a wide range of training activities:
basic, language and vocational training
- promotion of basic skills
- training of adult educators and language and cultural mediators
- testing and evaluation of new training models
- participation in international training programmes
- organisation of conferences, seminars and workshops.
Our structure and locations
Our work is coordinated by nine regional offices in Aarau, Basel, Bern, Lamone, Lausanne, Lucerne, Solothurn, Winterthur and Zurich with over 30 training centres. The management and central services are based in Zurich.
How we finance ourselves
Our financial resources come from:
- contributions from participants
- service agreements with public institutions
- contributions from institutions in migrants' countries of origin
- contributions from social partners.
An exemplary collective agreement
Since July 2016, ECAP's more than 1,000 employees have been covered by their own collective labour agreement (CLA), which is considered a model in the adult education sector. Among other things, staff receive extensive support for continuing professional development.
Trade union roots
ECAP is an adult vocational training institution founded in 1970 by the Italian trade union CGIL. In 1984, it became a foundation and established a cooperation agreement with the Swiss Trade Union Federation (USS). In September 2006, a framework cooperation agreement was signed with the Unia trade union.
