Eco Unesco Case Study

ECO-UNESCO’s Youth for Sustainable Development Programme

Youth for Sustainable Development (YSD) is a non-formal education programme for young people aged 15 -19. It aims to build the knowledge and skills needed to become peer educators and youth leaders. YSD operates as a weekly youth club, providing a safe place to explore core sustainable development topics through Development Education /Education for Sustainable Development activities. These activities strengthen the participants’ capacity and empower them to take positive sustainable action in their lives and communities.

Participants’ knowledge around sustainable development increased as a result of participating in the programme, with 96% demonstrating a greater understanding of global and environmental issues such as climate change and biodiversity. All participants stated that they came to value the natural world more and felt empowered to take action.


Throughout the programme, ECO-UNESCO staff observe changes in the skills, attitudes and behaviours of the young people. Those who were afraid to raise a hand at the beginning, went on to converse with Ministers, speak on radio and have given presentations at United Nations by the end. They are able to form in-depth and critical arguments during discussions, they are more open to others’ views, and they have begun to form and change their own views on issues.


The following quotes from participants illustrate this growth: 

               

"Eco has completely changed my life. Before I joined, I could barely raise my hand in class to ask a question without being a nervous wreck, and now I am able to stand up and speak in front of hundreds of people with no problem. Eco has given me opportunities I never would have dreamed were possible."


"I wouldn’t be the person I am today. Thanks to Eco, my knowledge on the whole world has increased. I am more confident, able to talk to older and even more influential people. I have understood that I can take the role of a leader and that I like expressing my opinions. Thanks to Eco I have also discovered my future career path."


"You actually do something here, like you get something done. You feel productive basically. You feel happy with yourself when you go out. I don’t know, it is just good to come here."


The YSD programme is designed as an activism journey. The young people start off with a 12-week programme, but many continue their engagement with ECO UNESCO - there was a retention rate of 71% in 2019/20. Participants go on to enter the ‘Young Environmental Awards’, help to facilitate at Eco weeks, represent the organisation at conferences, and respond to media requests. They carry out peer-to-peer education by facilitating sessions and workshops, as well as helping to design new programmes and events. In some cases, they come back to work as interns.


Images:

  • YSD participants attending the Climate Strike in Dublin (picture 1)
  • YSD participants attending ECOSOC Youth Forum in New York, 2019 (picture 2)
  • YSD participants attending outdoor education days (pictures 4 & 5,and main page)

Credit: ECO-UNESCO


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