Exploring education for sustainability in asean youth program a stakeholder approach

How do we get SUSTAINABILITY into the picture?

Education for sustainability in Japan-ASEAN youth program: A stakeholder approach Richard G. Castor Central Bicol State University of Agriculture - Calabanga Philippines

Outline • SSEAYP: JapanASEAN partnership in Context • Stakeholder Approach, SD, Sustainability & ESD • Taking Actions

Purpose statement Explore and analyse implications of embedding experiential education for sustainable development components into informal learning context through the Japan-ASEAN partnerships

SSEAYP: Japan-ASEAN Partnership  Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP) was established in 1974  Annual exchange of young leaders (c. 315 every year) from the 10 ASEAN member states and Japan living together on a ship for about 52 days

SSEAYP: Japan-ASEAN Partnership ď‚— Now (2015) on its 42nd voyage, SSEAYP was able to gather about 11,000 young leaders since 1974 ď‚— Former participating youths (PYs) now hold important and critical leadership positions in various fields in their respective countries/communities

 “Participating in the cruise stimulated for me a lifelong interest in Japan, and a desire to continue to build good relationships between New Zealand and Japan. …Our countries are very different in many ways, including in heritage, culture, and languages, but through a programme like JYGC we are able to learn that friendships are easily created across cultures, and that these friendships are rewarding in introducing us to new ideas and perspectives.”

Source: Wikimedia Commons

~ Helen Clark (2014) UNDP Administrator & Former New Zealand Prime Minister

SSEAYP activities off & on board the ship

SSEAYP: Japan-ASEAN Partnership ď‚— In 2005, SSEAYP introduced discussion themes, now consisting about 50% of the whole program

ď‚— The teaching-learning opportunity allows PYs to develop community projects while on board the ship

DISCUSSION

Stakeholder Approach Stakeholder is any group or individual in an organisation who can affect, or is affected by the achievement of the organisation’s objectives (Freeman, 1984 Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach)

Stakeholders: Research Participants National Youth Organization

• 3, one for each country • 2 are SSEAYP alumni

Alumni Association

• 15 alumni • Different batch

Japanese Government

• 1 representative • Also an alumnus

Research Design. Multiple case study

Japan Philippines

Indonesia

ď‚— Examined challenges and opportunities of holistically integrating Education for sustainability into the SSEAYP as an informal social learning setting. ď‚— Utilizing Skype, semi-structured interviews of the main stakeholders of the programme, triangulated with secondary sources provided the data for analysis of a qualitative, multiple case study.

Sustainable development  Brundtland Report’s definition of sustainable development as “meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (World Commission on Environment and Development [WCED], 1987, p.43)

Sustainability ď‚— “A dynamic state and broad systems-level concept that transcends entity and national boundaries to embrace notions of equity, equality, and futurity in relation, but not limited to economic, social, and environmental conditions that supports life for allâ€?

(Collins & Kearins, 2010 p.500)

Basically this is a process to be learned and followed, and the first thing to do is to deal with education.

Therefore, our prominent policy lesson is to focus on education and training of society, as well as to encourage participation of citizens in discussions or actions related to sustainability. These educational and social improvements will enhance the health, diversity and productivity of the environment to the benefit of future generations. On the basis of these lessons, a sustainable and ecological way of producing needs to be advocated and stimulated among the business sector (AkgĂźn et al., 2012 p.27)

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) & Education for sustainability Refers to teaching-learning-practice which “equally addresses all three pillars of sustainable development—society, environment and economy— with culture as an essential additional and underlying dimension” (“Decade of Education for Sustainable Development,” n.d.).

Research implications

Stakeholder Diversity

Investment & Social Capital

Stakeholder Dynamics

Social Network Building

Stakeholder Role & Responsibility

Education for sustainability in Japan-ASEAN youth program: A stakeholder approach

Education for sustainability in Japan-ASEAN youth program: A stakeholder approach

Research implications

Moving from awareness to action SD Dimensions & Discussion themes

Complexities in Sustainable Development

Sustainable future from youth’s vision, interest

Language, Concept, Context

Sustainability reporting, evaluating, monitoring Mechanisms

Education for sustainability in Japan-ASEAN youth program: A stakeholder approach

ď‚— Practical implications. The stakeholder approach enabled former participating youths, youth leaders of respective governments and Japanese organizing entities to take actions towards the sustainability of their programs for youth development.

Education for sustainability in Japan-ASEAN youth program: A stakeholder approach

ď‚— Value. SSEAYP as an ASEAN and Japan cooperation program presents an opportunity to shape sustainability policies in the ASEAN region, embrace concepts entrenched in sustainable development, and have an enormous potential to extend frameworks and aspects of action competence leading to education for a sustainable future.

Taking Actions ď‚— Behavioural change to action competence ď‚— action competence approach is related to developing a critical, reflective and participatory approach by which the developing adult can cope with future environmental problems

Taking Actions  Behavioural change to action competence  “creating a democratic process of participation in which students decide for themselves the action they will take”

Thank you for your attention!

Richard G. Castor richard.castor@cbsua.edu.ph +63 927 378 7905

Education for sustainability in Japan-ASEAN youth program: A stakeholder approach A Paper Presented to “SOCIAL AND SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE IN THE ASEAN COMMUNITY: A Regional Research Symposium and Academic Policy Dialogue”

19-21 August 2015 Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok THAILAND