What we do

SEEd works across all sectors in building capacity and driving Education for Sustainability (ESD) and environmental education.

UNESCO defines ESD as:

  • education that allows learners to acquire the skills, capacities, values and knowledge required to ensure sustainable development;
  • education at all levels and in all social contexts (family, school, workplace, community);
  • education that fosters responsible citizens and promotes democracy by allowing individuals and communities to enjoy their rights and fulfill their responsibilities;
  • education for life-long learning;
  • education that fosters the balanced development of the individual.
     

Our overall goal is to support, encourage, deepen and broaden  understanding and practice of ESD across all learning situations so that more people are able to live and work sustainably. The need for this work is expressed in countless surveys and evaluations which show educators want  support, want to gain new skills, want to feel part of a community and need to feel that the work they do really does prepare their students for a sustainable future and is valued by society. We also know we are a long way from embedding this in current mainstream practice or living sustainably.

We also know that sustainability (and how to live and work sustainably) is a developing area of knowledge and skills. Our goal therefore is to keep people updated and thinking about good practice. Our policy work aims to share this practice and encourage supportive systems for educators to do this important work.

We will know we are achieving our goals by increases in membership year on year, successful popular events and surveys (ours and our partners) that show awareness and confidence in stakeholders. As with all education this is a long term project!

All our projects are designed to model principles of sustainable development, good stakeholder processes and best practice in learning. Evidence shows that taking an active role in your learning, and applying what you have learned to the next tasks (action learning/action research) is the deepest, most emebedded way to learn.

Our current programmes are listed on the left.