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Advancement of education: Examples of wording for purpose clauses
Updated December 2007
Here are some examples of wording used by charitable organisations to show how they fit with the "advancement of education" charitable purpose.
You should also read Charities Services information sheet Rules and the Charities Act.
Purpose clauses
Purpose clauses, often called "objects" clauses, state what your organisation aims to achieve.
Your rules should include a list of your organisation's purposes and should begin with the organisation's primary or main purposes.
You may wish to show how your organisation's purposes fit with the four categories of charitable purpose like this:
- "To relieve poverty by"
- "To advance education by"
- "To advance religion by"
- "To be beneficial to the community by"
as appropriate.
Advancement of education
To be charitable under this category, your organisation's purpose must:
- provide some form of education; and
- ensure learning is passed on to others.
The modern concept of "education" covers formal education, training and research in specific areas of study and expertise. It also includes less formal education in the development of individual capabilities, competencies, skills and understanding. It does not include propagandist or political activities.
To "advance" education, learning must be passed on to others. If research is being conducted, to fit within the "advancement of religion" head of charity, it must be carried out in an objective and impartial way and the useful results made available, or accessible, to the public.
Examples of wording
Here are some examples of wording used by charitable organisations to show how they fit with the "advancement of education" charitable purpose:
To advance education...
- by establishing and operating schools
- by providing parenting courses, seminars and workshops
- by providing childbirth education classes that focus on issues of family-centred care, preparation for parenting and nutrition
- of young people by providing leadership training programmes and workshops
- of the public in music performance and composition through workshops and recitals
- and increase the public's understanding and appreciation of the arts by providing performances of an artistic nature in public places, senior citizens' homes, churches, community centres and educational institutions and by providing seminars on topics relating to such performances
- by producing performing arts festivals for the purposes of educating and advancing the public's understanding and appreciation of performing arts and to educate artists through participation in such festivals and related workshops
- by providing master classes in the music field
- by providing various arts programming such as youth theatre, arts camps and workshops for young people
- by educating children about safety issues
- by educating on community development through workshops and seminars
- by educating and informing the public about wild birds and their habitats
- by educating the public on agriculture and farming
- by providing public education programmes on the subject of acquired brain injury
- by providing scholarships, bursaries and awards to [this would need to be a group that would constitute the public or an appreciably important section of the public]
- by advancing the education of students attending [name of school] by providing books, equipment and educational aids
- by establishing and operating a resource library for the deaf and hard of hearing
- by training police officers, teachers, social workers and crisis response workers on how to recognise and respond to online sexual exploitation and assist children and young people affected by this issue
- by educating the public on the proper usage and safety of firearms
- by educating students in economics
- by operating a national science fair for students in Years [specify]
- by providing workshops and seminars pertinent to caregivers' needs
- by establishing and operating a resource library for caregivers
- by establishing, maintaining and operating and educational training centre that will provide instruction on refurbishing obsolete computers and electronic equipment and train the hard-to-employ in gainful trades, professions and occupations
- by educating and increasing the public's appreciation of Māori culture
- by providing a mentorship programme to Māori film and video artists.
