Roundtable on Development Education 8 th. October 2014 National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development – relevance to Dev Ed and Youth

Development of ESD strategy First National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development, published in July 2014 (DES website). Arises from commitments in the following: –Our Sustainable Future - A Framework for Sustainable Development in Ireland (D/ECLG, 2012). –UN Decade for ESD, 2005 to 2014 commits every MS to develop and implement a National Strategy. Development of ESD strategy informed by –a public consultation process (autumn 2013) –A focussed roundtable session in November 2013 –Findings from relevant research and international strategies –previous work that was undertaken in this area by the DES, supported by ECO-UNESCO, in 2007.

Main challenges identified No funding No clear home within DES and involves stakeholders outside DES remit Definitional challenges: –extent of ‘ESD’ issues: climate change; disaster risk reduction; biodiversity; poverty reduction; food prices; child labour; labelling of food products; citizenship; peace; environmental protection; biological and landscape diversity; ethics; responsibility in local and global contexts; democracy and governance; justice; security; human rights; health; gender equity; cultural diversity; production and consumption patterns; corporate responsibility; natural resource management; environmental degradation; urban decay; population growth; social exclusion; water security; migration; and debt. –Overlap between Sustainable Development and ESD –ESD vs Development Education (DE) and Environmental Education (EE). Leadership and coordination Data collection and baseline measurement Not reflected in curriculum; or very ad hoc Lack of professional development and training

Definition and objective of ESD Definition (UNECE): “ESD develops and strengthens the capacity of individuals, groups, communities, organizations and countries to make judgements and choices in favour of sustainable development. It can promote a shift in people’s mindsets and in so doing enable them to make our world safer, healthier and more prosperous, thereby improving the quality of life. ESD can provide critical reflection and greater awareness and empowerment so that new visions and concepts can be explored and new methods and tools developed”. Objective of National Strategy on ESD: “aims to ensure that education contributes to sustainable development by equipping learners with the relevant knowledge (the ‘what’), the key dispositions and skills (the ‘how’) and the values (the ‘why’) that will motivate and empower them throughout their lives to become informed active citizens who take action for a more sustainable future”.

8 priority action areas Leadership and coordination Data collection and baseline measurement Curriculum at pre-school, primary and post primary. Professional development Further Education and Training Higher Education and Research Promoting participation by young people. Sustainability in action Recommendations (44) are made in relation to each priority action area. Pragmatic rather than aspirational

Overview of recommendations Coordination and leadership: ESD Advisory Group, and ESD web ‘portal’ where resources and best practice can be shared. Data collation and measurement: Across schools, FET, Higher Ed, and the Youth and Community sectors. Curriculum: Builds on developments at pre-school, Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle. Prof Development: strengthen the integration of ESD into CPD; and ensure that future CPD in ESD is informed by the needs of teachers. Further Education and Training: endorses the existing DES commitments in Action Plan on Jobs etc Higher Education and Research: more ESD specific programmes and research, and greater integration of ESD principles into existing programmes, where appropriate. Promoting participation by young people Sustainability in action: Infrastructure; energy usage; green schools

Similarities between ESD and DE Both seek to mobilise all aspects of ‘education’ both formal and non-formal Both interdisciplinary Both use a variety of pedagogical techniques that promote active and participatory learning Both emphasise social justice and equity Both promote empowerment, participation and citizenship Both seek to be an agent for positive change Both locally relevant while also linking the local to the national and international In all of this, both face many of the same challenges (funding, coordination, data, curriculum, training)

DE and Youth in ESD strategy Youth identified as key ‘change agents’ for sustainable development – specific section in ESD strategy. Youth sector already contributing to ESD in at least two ways. –developing young people’s self-esteem and self- confidence, building their capacity to make informed decisions, helping them to develop social awareness and a sense of social solidarity, and enhancing their role as active citizens. –Specific programmes e.g. One World Week, ECO-UNESCO’s Green Pathways programme, the Young Environmentalist Awards, and the ‘Youth for Sustainable Development - Global Youth Leaders for Change’ programme. Number of specific recommendations in ESD strategy relevant to DE / Youth

Specific recommendations Rec 1: ESD advisory group. 13 members include NYCI, Irish Aid, DICE, ECO-UNESCO, WWGS Rec 2: DES to be represented on key DE structures e.g. WWGS Network, Irish Aid grants committee. Opportunities for advancing ESD should seek to build synergies with DE where appropriate. Rec 3: DES to provide a specific ESD portal. Rec 9: NCCA to support schools, NGOs, and other stakeholders who wish to develop Junior Cycle short courses or Transition Units on issues relevant to ESD through templates, guidelines etc Rec 10: ‘Politics and Society’ to be introduced at LC Rec 29: DES (supported by DCYA) to consult children / youth on ESD, before It will be used as an evidence base to inform the development of future policy in this area.

Recommendations contd Rec 30: DCYA to conduct a survey of youth programmes that relate to ESD and DE, and report the results to the ESD Advisory Group in To include recommendations for strengthening the role of young people as change agents for sustainable development. Rec 31: DCYA to reflect the importance of ESD in the new Youth Strategy, as well as in the new Early Years Strategy. Rec 34: HEIs to continue to form closer links with schools, the Youth sector, and communities in relation to sustainable development in order to exchange ideas and best practice and in particular to facilitate wider access to the specialist expertise and knowledge on sustainability that is available in third level institutions.

Next steps Implement recommendations in ESD strategy First meeting of advisory group on 29 October ESD annual forum Mid term review 2017 Relying on number of stakeholders for cooperation and support