Report on a Consultation with Children and Young People on Education for Sustainable Development
Published in 1st of November 2016
Contributors
Author: Department of Children and Youth Affairs
Publisher: Department of Children and Youth Affairs
Date: 2016
Geographic Coverage: Ireland
Type of Resource: Report
Sector/setting: Government
Vulnerable groups: Children, Young People
Developed with children and young people? Yes
Type of participation: Consultations With Children
Availability: Open Access
Keywords: Child, Young People, Sustainability
Introduction
A key recommendation from the National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development (2014-2020) states that pupils and students should be consulted on the issue of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in order to inform future policy (Department of Education and Skills, 2014). This report presents findings from a consultation with pupils and students facilitated in a collaboration between the Department of Education and Skills (DES) and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA). The DCYA has a dedicated Citizen Participation Unit, which takes the lead national role in ensuring that children and young people have a voice in the design, delivery and monitoring of services and policies that affect their lives. The DES developed a child friendly explanation of ESD, in collaboration with the Citizen Participation Unit of DCYA: “Education for Sustainable Development means what you learn in school to make the world a fairer and better place for everyone”. This definition was informed by definitions used by the National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development; UNESCO; Global Education Network Europe; and the publication from United Nations on the Sustainable Development Goals “The World We Want: A Guide to the Goals for Children and Young People”. The consultation adopted a qualitative methodological approach encompassing brainstorming sessions, ranking exercises, World Café placemat discussions and a recommendation wall. A total of 72 children and young people (42 pupil and 30 students) participated in two consultative sessions (one for primary pupils and the other for post-primary students) in October 2016.