The AEGAI will aim to accurately and appropriately represent the views of its members to ensure the continued development of professional Adult Educational Guidance in Ireland.

The Objectives of the AEGAI are:

• To promote the Adult Guidance services represented by the AEGAI and the interests of their clients.
• To represent the views of the AEGAI membership to appropriate external bodies.
• To promote the continued professional development of the AEGAI members
• To provide peer support, networking opportunities and share best practice among AEGAI members.

As staff of the AEGI services, AEGAI members provide guidance and information services to various client groups. Guidance counsellors and coordinators provide a guidance service to adults who are participating, or considering participating in Adult Educational programmes such as the Vocational Training Opportunity Scheme, (VTOS), Adult Literacy programmes and Community Education, including the Back To Education Initative (BTEI). Former residents of designated institutions are also welcome to utilise the services of the AEGI.

Information officers provide impartial, accurate advice and information on local, regional and national opportunities for adult learners and supports for adult education. In many areas this AEGI information service is open to members of the public as well as the designated target groups.

AEGAI membership is open to Guidance Co-ordinator, Guidance Counsellors and Guidance information Officers employed through the Adult Educational Guidance Initiative (AEGI).

Members are represented by a National Executive Committee which is elected at the annual general meeting. The function of this Committee is to implement the objective of the AEGAI.

In 2000, the Department of Education and Science established the Adult Educational Initiative, AEGI, with a remit to provide career and educational guidance and information to participants in the further and adult education sector. Coordination of this Initiative was provided by the National Centre for Guidance in Education, NCGE.

In 2001, the Adult Education Guidance Association (AEGA) was established as the representative body for staff working in the AEGI. In 2008, the AEGA was renamed the Adult Education Guidance Association of Ireland AEGAI.

AEGAI members have worked closely with the National Centre for Guidance in Education (NCGE) to identify the unique guidance needs of adult learners. With Department of Education and Skills support AEGAI members have developed high quality professional guidance services that respond to ever changing service demands in dynamic, meaningful ways.

The AEGAI acts to further the profile of adult educational guidance in Ireland in a number of ways. Through its regional structure it provides a forum for good practice sharing and discussion of common issues, as well as enabling feedback to the Executive who can raise these issues at a national level.