Global Schools Program - The next step in Education for Sustainable Development

Susanne Fischer outlines her experience with being involved with the Global Schools Programs and her path to becoming a Global School Advocate

I have recently joined the Global Schools Program (an initiative of the United Nations Sustainable Solutions Network) as an advocate to ‘localise’ the Sustainable Development Goals in schools and communities. The program trains and recruits educators from around the globe and is a fantastic opportunity to collaborate with like-minded teachers, leaders and organizations. 

Sustainability has always played an important role in my life, from my upbringing through to my career in international education. I have run many different school and community projects with the aim of bringing awareness and understanding of our responsibility as global citizens to young people and adults alike. Although I have always deemed my projects as successful, I feel that being part of the Global Schools Program has given me more purpose and direction in the approach to sustainable education. 

For a period of 5 months I will be serving as a local representative for my region to integrate education for sustainable development into my current school, as well as the local community. The title of Global Schools Advocate was awarded to myself and fellow participants after successfully completing a month of rigorous training, which equipped us all with extensive knowledge and an incredible amount of resources. 

Of course each school or local community around the world is at a different stage of their understanding and engagement with sustainability, so the program is designed in the most flexible and adaptable way to suit everyone’s needs. There are basic resources for those who are starting to implement sustainability into their curriculum (such as lesson plans and activities for all age groups). There is also support for those who are at a stage of their journey where they may be approaching local governments and organizations to propose changes in policies and regulations. 

The project officers do a fantastic job of keeping the community of advocates engaged and supported. Each month there is a range of conferences, hosting international experts and offering a large platform to collaborate with colleagues on a global level. Each region is assigned a mentor, who guides a group of advocates through their term and offers help and support every step of the way. Once a month there is a survey to assess each advocate’s engagement and progress, and while this may seem a little like we are being micromanaged, it is actually a fantastic way to keep your head in the game and stay focused on your mission within the program, as well as showing your commitment. 

Now of course I could do all the activities I have recently carried out without being a Global Schools Advocate, just as I have in the past. However, as I have mentioned earlier, being part of the Global Schools Program has given me far more direction in my approach to planning and delivering different projects. The other very important aspect of the program is the community - every advocate I have had contact with has been nothing but a pleasure to collaborate with. There is an amazing willingness to share ideas and activities, to connect students and communities and to offer general support.

Some of the things I haven taken away from the training and from being part of the program is the way I structure my integration of the SDGs into our school life. The layout of some of the resources are great to follow and to weave into your program without having to adjust much. From interacting with other advocates I feel that I have also changed the way I present some of our information, which I have now reduced in order to achieve a greater impact. The biggest take away for me however is the sheer amount of fantastic ideas that are out there, which have all been harnessed into one community. I no longer find myself weeding through the internet for hours on end as I now have access to a very specific group of people who are keen to network and share their ideas.

For anyone with a passion and interest in the SDGs and sustainability, I highly recommend applying to the next cohort of advocates. Although it is a competitive application process, as educators from over 75 countries are selected, it is a very rewarding experience and the extra hours are well worth putting in.