Education for Sustainable Development Thursday, June 3, 2010 - 17:17

Learning and activism can both respond to the global challenges of climate change, economics, poverty and injustice. This was the main conclusion of a NIACE seminar held in London, Tuesday 8 June, and the next stage in NIACE's work on implementing education for sustainable development

Jane Ward, NIACE Senior Programme Director, said:

"We can move away from pessimism to solution focused approaches. Learning can enable activists to move beyond short-term action through critical thinking to deeper and more sustained engagement."

"There are challenges and to meet them we need communities of practice and solidarity networks resources, stronger connections between learning and campaigning organisations, deeper reach into communities and work with local authorities and strategic organisations."

This seminar follows the publication - on World Environment Day - of the report Implementing Education for Sustainable Development [Word] - to help adult learning organisations and strategic agencies to implement education for sustainable development.

Jane Ward added:

"Sustaining the planet in the face of negative effects of climate change, economic need and the consequences of global inequalities and injustice is one of the biggest challenges facing the world today and there can be little doubt that urgent action is essential."

"Adult learning and skills has a huge part to play in supporting adults to gain the information, critical understanding and confidence they need to take action for a sustainable world, to help connect the environment, communities, people, culture and economics."

"This can happen anywhere adult learning takes place from formal skills learning through to very informal learning activity."

"Over the past few months NIACE has worked on a project funded by the Learning and Skills Council (now the Skills Funding Agency) to develop a programme of awareness raising and support for adult learning organisations to develop approaches to sustainable development across all aspects of their organisations and their teaching and learning programmes."

"Working collaboratively with mangers, practitioners and support agencies, especially the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) and Ofsted, we started to identify what organisations needed to help them on their way and to contribute some ‘starting point' materials and messages which are summarised in this report."

"Of course this is the start of a journey not the end and NIACE will continue to work to support the development of policy and practice in this vital area of education for sustainable development."

This activity is the start of a conversation that will continue over the coming months. If you would like to get involved contact Jane Ward - jane.ward@niace.org.uk