Development of Educational Models for Sustainable Lifestyles

The network coordinates a pilot project ”Development of Educational Models for Sustainable Lifestyles” within the Nordic Council of Ministers programme for sutainable lifestyles. The current project period is 2022 – 2024.

The objective is to explore and develop an educational model (education and learning process) that educational organizations already use within their organization and that supports the development towards the normalization of more sustainable lifestyles.

A short recap

The overall purpose of the project is to deliver an educational contribution to the social change of lifestyles and cultures from the individual to the systemic level. Especially concerning consumption and production, climate change, and the biodiversity crisis.

The goal of the project has been twofold

1. to develop educational models for supporting the development towards the normalization of more sustainable lifestyles, and (from a Whole Institution Approach)
2. to contribute to creating a holistic and sustainable organization that involves all stakeholders: leaders, teachers, and students/participants.
   In the pilot project, before this second part of the project, researchers and educational institutions were to look into, compare and develop piloted methodologies and praxis and to identify important elements of the partners’ experiences. The pilot project resulted in some valuable learnings for the three involved partners, on both a pedagogical and institutional level, including 10 recommendations for both teachers and leaders.
   Link for the 10 recommendations

Next step

In the coming phase of the project we want to go into depth with how we can use the insights from the pilot and work to unfold their potential:

• How do we create learning opportunities for sustainable transformation?
• What are the challenges, resistances, and dilemmas and how are they best met?
• What are we already doing which is directly or indirectly supporting sustainable formation?
• How are different types of structures or social and organizational frames supporting or hindering the creation of learning opportunities for sustainability?

Participating organisations

Finland
Ari Laitala, SYKLI – Enviromental College
www.sykli.fi

Sverige
Emmy Pater, Relearn – NGO
Relearn

Danmark
Birgitte Woge Nielsen, VIA University College
Birgitte Helbæk Marcussen, VIA Univeristy College
www.via.dk

Färöarna
Annika Maisonsdóttir Mellemgaard, Glasir – Torshavn College
www.glasir.fo

NVL’s pilot project is part of the Education for Sustainable Development project, which is coordinated by the Icelandic Centre for Research (Rannis). The goal the project is that sustainable development becomes an integral part of all education, for every age, from preschool to adult learning.
Rannis website

The education project is one of the six projects within the cross-sectoral programme Nordic Sustainable Living, which strives to make sustainable choices the new norm in the Nordic Region. More about the programme and the six projects here on Nordregio website.
Nordic Sustainable Living website