Youth Leadership training on Education for Sustainable Development
A three-day workshop in Bangkok, Thailand has set Special Advisor Youth Danielle Newton on a new path – to live more sustainably and to empower others to do the same.
Danielle's Experience
Danielle was selected to attend the Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop for Youth Leadership Training on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) from 15-17 November 2017. The workshop is part of a series of youth training taking place globally under the Global Action Programme on Education for Sustainable Development. It aims to create a network of active youth leaders who are mobilising others to take action for sustainability.
“This workshop was incredibly valuable for building professional and personal networks, particularly with leaders from the Pacific,” says Danielle. “It really inspired a lot of personal reflection and commitment to make changes in my own life and lead by example.”
The training included two online sessions and a three-day workshop. During the workshop, participants went on an experiential field trip to the Bang Krachao “Green Lung” community, an urban oasis alongside Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River.
Within three months of the training, participants are expected to practice sustainability leadership by planning and implementing their own workshop on sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals. The workshop must involve youth participants.
“I have joined a small working group with ESD Youth Leaders from the Pacific, which we formed to support each other in planning and coordinating our workshops,” says Danielle. “We’ll be reporting on our progress as we go.”
Danielle is planning to coordinate her workshop over the 2017-2018 University summer break in conjunction with her Internship with Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga in the Northland region.
“I’m envisioning this workshop as a pilot project, with the potential to develop into something larger with support from the National Commission’s Youth Reference Group,” she says.
“I feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to be involved with the training in Bangkok – and the commitment of the other youth involved in the network is inspiring. I am motivated to contribute to educating and empowering others to find their own pathways for action.”