We are halfway through the last Leadership, Sustainability and Ethics online youth course of this year! This cohort is made up of 62 participants from 18 different countries. By taking this course, participants between the ages of 18 to 30, are working towards strengthening their knowledge, skills & values on leadership and sustainability from a broad, systemic and ethical vision.
This course, offered since 2015 in this format, consists of 10 online sessions, with 5 live group meetings. Because of the large class size, participants are also assigned learning buddies to deepen their understanding of the topics through small group discussions held on their own schedule. Participants also learn from each other on the virtual classroom platform by sharing their reflections in the forums. One aspect that enriches this learning experience is that it offers participants a unique opportunity to exchange with participants from various cultures and contexts.
The assignments in the course are designed so that participants can experience the course with their head, heart and hands. Some assignments motivate participants to also have important conversations with people in their surroundings who are not taking the course, and many assignments can be done outdoors despite this being an online course. Towards the end of the course, participants will plan their own local workshops to share with their networks what they have learned throughout the course and encourage their friends, family, or colleagues to also turn conscience into action. Once participants successfully conclude their participation in the course, they are invited to join the Earth Charter Young Leaders Programme, which is a network of likeminded young leaders living and working in different contexts, but with a shared purpose: to contribute with social transformation through the lenses of the Earth Charter.
I am a first-generation college student and education is very important to me, I make an effort to take every educational opportunity that presents itself. Additionally, I hope to gain leadership skills, learn more about the Earth Charter, and connect to this global community of students.
Layla Wall, participant from the United States.
We want to give a special thanks to two institutions who are making it possible for their students to participate in this online course as part of their academic programmes: The Long Island University Global cohort currently studying in Costa Rica and the Tulips XP School in Malaysia. In addition, members of the Climate Smart Agriculture Youth Network Global (GCSAYN) are joining from various countries.
We would also like to thank our course facilitators, including members of our Education Center faculty and Earth Charter Young Leaders who are volunteering their time after already having taken the course themselves: Victor Ayegba Matthew (Nigeria), Amanda Bennett (Costa Rica/USA), Emma Feyeux (France), Evon Ganeson (Malaysia), Camila Hernández (Costa Rica), Zoe Schmitt (USA), and Irma Verhoeven (The Netherlands).
The Leadership, Sustainability and Ethics online youth course will be offered again starting on 13 February 2023. You can sign up today on our website!
Educators, you can incorporate it as part of your university course or encourage your students to get involved:
https://earthcharter.org/courses/leadership-sustainability-ethics-lse-online-course-february-2023/