“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
Helen Keller
As a member organisation, it’s our role to bring people together to work on key areas of interest. Why go it alone when we can help you put together a team of like-minded professionals?
Our Action Groups support people to join forces around common issues, themes or goals. Action Group outcomes vary – from conducting research, creating a new project or organising a series of workshops.
Action Groups begin with a clear set of objectives, have a set timescale and can be a short, one-off project, a longer-term project, and can focus on a range of goals, or just one.
Read on to find out more about the Action Groups that are currently running – you can join any if you’re interested. And if you don’t see one that covers your area of interest, then we’d be delighted to discuss setting up a new one. To discuss your idea – no matter how big or small – please get in touch.
1. Colleges & Universities Action Group
To advance LfS in colleges and universities, LfS Scotland works in partnership with EAUC Scotland. We work together by supporting the EAUC Scotland Topic Support Networks; facilitating joint events; such as engaging our members in co-creating responses to policy consultations; and engaging with other key organisations in the further and higher education sectors.
Further Education
This is an ongoing networking group which meets twice yearly as one of EAUC’s Topic Support Networks to share practices on methods, research and projects, to assist college students to make informed decisions on the social, economic, cultural and environmental problems we face in the 21st century, for the benefit of both themselves and others, now and in the future, and to act upon these decisions. If you have any queries about this Action Group, please get in touch.
This work builds on the Scottish Colleges’ Education for Sustainable Development Initiative managed by EAUC in January 2013. The Initiative was completed in November 2014 and a final report is available on request.
Higher Education
This is an ongoing networking group which meets twice yearly as one of EAUC’s Topic Support Networks to share practices on methods, research and projects. This group aims to help individuals/academic staff in universities develop the attitudes, skills and knowledge they need to assist students to make informed decisions on the social, economic, cultural and environmental problems we face in the 21st century, for the benefit of both themselves and others, now and in the future, and to act upon these decisions. If you have any queries about this Action Group, please get in touch.
2. Communities Action Group
This group was set up, as a direct request from members at our AGM, to look at ways of embedding learning for sustainability and methods for advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals in communities and across community education.
Established in 2017, the group organised a ‘Taking Action on the SDGs across Communities & Schools’ event; which was a bustling and energising day of talks, workshops, networking and lots of positive plans. You can read Rehema White’s full event report here and access all other notes and presentations here.
The group is always looking for new, energetic members. If you’re interested in communities, learning for sustainability and/or the UN SDGs then why not join the group? Get in touch with us to find out more.
3. Curating Heritage for Sustainable Communities Action Group
Detailed information on the progress of this task group will be added to this page soon. You can read the initial plans for the task group here.
4. Nature Connection Action Group
This task group was been set up to develop research activities on the level of connections to nature for children and young people in Scotland (0 – 25 years).
Key objectives: To understand what activities enhance connection to nature Identify possible links with factors that impact sustainability Inform policy and practice to enhance nature connection Share how we measure connection Actions
This group is looking to refresh its key objectives. Get in touch with us to find out more.
5. Sustainable Development Goals Action Group
This group was set up by enthusiastic LfS Scotland members who are interested in driving forward the UN SDGs in Scotland and incorporating them into their practice. This action group co-hosted an event in 2017 with the Communities Action Group. If you would like more information on this task group please contact Betsy King.
Initial Aims:
- To influence policy through advocating for learning as a fundamental aspect of the SDGs, in Scotland and beyond
- To raise awareness and understanding of the scope of learning within the SDGs (within and across formal, informal and non-formal contexts)
- To engage and represent members; and partner with other organisations and individuals in Scotland and UK; and collaborate with relevant international partners (UNESCO, UN RCEs) to help deliver on the ESD for 2030 Roadmap and the SDGs
- To contribute to monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the SDGs in Scotland and beyond
Intended Outcomes
- Stronger policy in support of the SDs, seeing them as a holistic mechanism to pursue sustainable development rather than a ‘tick box exercise’ using existing strategies.
- Recognition of the scope and necessity of learning to inform and underpin implementation of the SDGs.
- Increased awareness amongst LfS Scotland members and others to enable them to work effectively as partners within the collaborations possible to achieve the SDGs. Stronger monitoring and evaluation of SDGs especially SDG 4.
- Pathways to research on SDGs.