An Overview of ESR Education for Social Responsibility Today we seem to value what we are told to measure, rather than measuring what we truly value. Most people agree that happy, fulfilling lives, stable and caring communities and protecting the planet for future generations all fall into this category of what we truly value, and yet far too little time is allocated to these areas in education today. In 2014 the IAPS Council agreed that IAPS schools should all provide a challenging, purposeful education that makes an enduring difference to a child s development and at the heart of every IAPS school will be Education for Social Responsibility (ESR): the promotion of well-being, the rights, responsibility, knowledge, skills and opportunity that will enable young people to be valuable and constructive members of society. This whole area of education is about ethical living and sustainable futures, developing a social understanding and a social conscience for the benefit of local and global communities. The IAPS recognizes that the quality and focus of the education which our pupils receive in the coming years will, to a large degree, determine whether the right or wrong, ethical or unethical, sustainable or unsustainable decisions are made as we journey through the 21st Century. The world is changing at a phenomenal rate and education needs to respond effectively to prepare our pupils for the world of tomorrow. These global changes represent an opportunity to bring greater security, equity and well-being for all mankind, or they may deepen the divides, increase the risks of geopolitical instability and undermine the planets human carrying capacity at an ever increasing rate. These are all hugely significant issues. WHY IAPS SCHOOLS? Statistically children who are educated in the private sector have a far higher probability of entering into positions of leadership and influence in later life. If they are to use these positions for good, to ensure that ethical and sustainable economic decisions are at the heart of corporate, local and national policy making, there have to be core beliefs and a foundational understanding of key social, economic and environmental issues. They will not understand this unless they are taught properly. But even if they do not enter into these positions of influence, we have a responsibility to teach all of them about their individual roles and what constitutes a high quality of life, not just a higher standard of living. So ESR relates to individual well-being as well as community and environmental wellbeing. The three are, of course, inextricably entwined, because as young people become more socially aware, they care more about others well-being too. And as they become more in tune with their environment and the sense of well-being which it brings, they also understand its significance for eco-system services and they therefore care more about protecting it. Education for Social Responsibility seeks to address these issues of social, economic and environmental concern through a broad education which incorporates these important aspects, and this is why it is central to IAPS belief. INTENDED OUTCOMES OF ESR IN IAPS SCHOOLS That all students coming through IAPS schools will have a deep understanding of the social, environmental and economic reasons why sustainable and ethical living have to be at the very heart of individual, community and global behaviours. That all IAPS schools will engage with ESR principles so that they will become beacon schools, leading the way for systemic change throughout the UK education system.
That IAPS school s will share best practice and develop web based resources for our sector. THE ISSUES, IN A NUTSHELL "The Earth can cater for every man's need, but not every man's greed." Mahatma Ghandi Human beings are living completely unsustainably. To recognise the problems which have been created and develop a change mindset amongst young people, they not only have to be taught about the problems, but they also need to engage emotionally and physically in the alternative models for living. IAPS schools all need to embrace curricular and extra-curricular initiatives to embed a deep connection and understanding of the issues described below. For many years, social, environmental and economic observers have agreed that the way in which the human race is living cannot continue without serious ramifications. Human beings currently use more than 150% of what planet earth can provide on an annual basis, meaning that essential ecosystem services, (the systems which give us enough food, water, stable climates, raw materials etc.), are in decline on an accelerating basis. A very significant, but unseen consequence of our consumption is that as the wealthy get richer, the poor become poorer. Therefore, ethical issues must also be considered. Unless dealt with, tensions around global inequalities, mass migration and geopolitical instabilities will inevitably increase. The following three key misconceptions drive this damaging system - also impacting upon social stability and personal well-being - and therefore these misconceptions are fundamentally what must be addressed through education. The misconceptions (in Red) are addressed through the Platforms of ESR (in Green) as shown below. THE SOCIETAL MISCONCEPTIONS THE SOCIAL MISCONCEPTION THE ECONOMIC MISCONCEPTION THE ENVIRONMENTAL MISCONCEPTION THE PLATFORMS OF ESR FOUNDATIONS OF PURPOSE ETHICAL ECONOMIES SUSTAINABLE FUTURES THE SOCIAL MISCONCEPTION Having more money, and more possessions - (beyond meeting basic human needs and conveniences) - makes for a happier life. A professor of economics once asked Why is it that so many people buy things they don t need, with money they don t have, to create impressions which don t last, on people they don t even like? The key principle here is that quality of life and standard of living are not the same thing. So long this social misconception persists, people will tend towards greed, selfishness and an assumption that more wealth is both a necessity and a right. Of course it is not seen as greed, but living in ways which are running down the Earth s natural resource base, damaging climate stability, and penalizing both the poor of our planet now, and future generations to come, simply to have what is perceived to be a higher standard of living cannot be described otherwise. Consumerism - the pursuit of more and of better for the consumer - is the single most significant factor in the depletion of the Earths resources, and with population growing rapidly, the imperative to address the problems grows too. Consumerism is the driving force behind the damage being done to vital eco-system services and it leads to a sense of dissatisfaction which pervades developed world societies. Research shows that levels of contentment across the globe relate to income to the point of having basic needs and conveniences met, but beyond this it is feelings of having psychological needs met which brings a sense of real well-being. These include opportunities for
learning, for autonomy, to use one's skills, to have respect and the ability to count on others in an emergency - not more and more consumer goods. Consumerism hasn't always existed; it was created to grow global economies. In many ways this was good, leading to a higher standard of living for many underprivileged people, but it has also lead to greater inequalities and a poorer quality of life for many too. When profit is the main goal, human rights, their well-being and environmental considerations get ignored along the way. Growth driven consumption has now taken us beyond the Earth's limits to cater for our consumptive appetites. Measuring economic success only in terms of GDP, is to ignore the most fundamental of human needs. An economy which has massive growth at the expense of its citizen's emotional and physical health, at the expense of relationships and of leisure time, is a strange definition of success indeed. In 1955, retail analyst Victor Lebow articulated the approach to economic growth which our developed world economies have come to consider as the 'norm'. He didn t design the system, he just said it as it was back then, in the 1950 s, and this is how it has been for the last six decades. Our enormously productive economy demands that we make consumption our way of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfactions, our ego satisfactions, in consumption. The measure of social status, of social acceptance, of prestige, is now to be found in our consumptive patterns. The very meaning and significance of our lives today expressed in consumptive terms. The greater the pressures upon the individual to conform to safe and accepted social standards, the more does he tend to express his aspirations and his individuality in terms of what he wears, drives, eats, his home, his car, his pattern of food serving, his hobbies. These commodities and services must be offered to the consumer with a special urgency. We require not only forced draft consumption, but expensive consumption as well. We need things consumed, burned up, worn out, replaced and discarded at an ever increasing pace. We need to have people eat, drink, dress, ride, live, with ever more complicated and, therefore, constantly more expensive consumption. Not only is this a ridiculous way to try to run our lives - with people's spiritual and ego needs attempted to be met through consumption but it is totally unsustainable for the planet too. The problem is that during the last six decades advertising and clever marketing have taught us that more money and more stuff is what will make us happier people, and yet it doesn't work. Many sociological studies have shown that beyond a certain level of income and material wealth, further increases do not increase happiness. All major world religions also support this view point. In the developed world we are bombarded by adverts telling us that our quality of life will be better if we have the latest version of this or that, that we can look better, feel better, be happier if we just go shopping again. This is not true and students need to understand why and what the alternatives are. Understanding that true happiness comes from understanding one s own spirituality, from creativity, from teamwork and sport, from giving to and helping others, from music, the arts, being in the natural environment, from community and a sense of belonging, from making a difference and having significance, rather than simply having more (the consumption mentality) - this is the first PLATFORM: FOUNDATIONS OF PURPOSE THE ECONOMIC MISCONCEPTION The assumption that we can continue to grow global economies indefinitely - we can t! There is only so much that planet Earth can give us in terms of both raw materials and in terms of eco-system services. At the turn of the millennium a team of over 1000 environmental scientists undertook a study to look into the ecosystem services which nature provides us with. The conclusion was that 60% of these systems - those which give us fertile soil, fresh water, stable climates, (and
therefore food), fishable oceans, biodiversity etc. were in decline; i.e. they were being used up faster than natural systems could replenish or restore them. Unless this is changed the only logical outcome is that depletion will have severe and wide ranging consequences for humans, their economies and their societies. World population has tripled in the last 70 Years, and life expectancy is increasing, therefore frugality becomes even more important every year. The other key economic issue is that within 'economic growth', the rich often get richer at the expense of the poor. The countless millions who endure atrocious working conditions, sometimes oppression and almost always levels of pay which keep them below the poverty line, are forced to do so in order that the developed world economies can consume inordinate amounts of cheap goods. Therefore, the true cost of our so called 'economic success' is a planet that is being rapidly depleted of essential resources and ecosystem services, whilst forcing many millions of workers (human beings) into the servitude of the wealthy minority. As with the social misconception, a lack of understanding that the constant growth concept is unsustainable and unfair, needs to be corrected. Students need to recognise the unsustainable nature of our present global economy and the inequalities which it creates. This is about understanding the responsibility of the wealthy, the educated and the privileged in bringing about change; change which will develop systems to protect planetary resources for future generations and systems which create opportunities for a better future for those less fortunate than themselves - this is the second PLATFORM: ETHICAL ECONOMIES THE ENVIRONMENTAL MISCONCEPTION For thousands of years human progress has depended upon taking and creatively using the resources which our planet offers us. But as populations have rocketed and wealth has increased, and as technology has advanced allowing us to take more and more of our planetary resources at an ever accelerating rate, many are now in serious decline. Future generations will be adversely and severely impacted by our over consumption and production of waste especially CO2 In our society there is also a high degree of ignorance regarding the absolutely vital role that planet Earth plays in providing all of the bare essentials for life, (food, water, fertile soil etc. as listed above). The environment for many seems distant and a little irrelevant, apart from being a nice place to go for their vacations. Students in our schools need to develop both the knowledge of how eco-systems work to appreciate their importance and they also need to get intimately involved in the environment to gain something of a spiritual connection, and therefore a deeper appreciation of why it has to be protected from our damaging ways. This damaging of the Earths eco-system capacity is already leading to a poorer quality of life for the disadvantaged and in the long term mass migration and geo-political instability are a probable outcome. This will affect us all and it is why we all need to take the whole issue seriously. Understanding that we live on a finite planet, with limited resources and that continual growth on a finite planet is not possible is of paramount importance. Understanding that circular economies and sustainable approaches have to be developed are at the heart of addressing this misconception. Our students need the passion to address resource depletion, climate instability, ocean acidification, bio-diversity loss etc. understanding that all humans depend upon eco-system services and that collectively we are currently damaging these, limiting the Earth s human carrying capacity - this is the central message and this is the third PLATFORM: SUSTAINABLE FUTURES
A PSYCOLOGICAL CONNECTION As the diagram suggests, a physiological connection and emotional understanding of the issues will generate the feelings which challenge and inform the thinking of our young people and, in turn, will impact their behaviours, ultimately determining the concerns in the long run. These issues relate to their own personal well-being, a broader desire for the well-being of local and global communities, and vitally the outcomes for the health of the planet on which we all depend. To change behaviour you have to first change people's thinking. The current misconceptions, guiding the thinking in developed world economies, exacerbate inequalities across the planet, creating geopolitical instability and accelerating environmental degradation. Not only this, but this thinking creates an illusion of consumption based satisfaction, driving values which only worsen these global problems, but do not deliver the sense of personal well-being that developed world consumers desire. Young people need to recognise these three key 'misconceptions' which underpin the damaging patterns of thinking, and they need to believe that change is both essential and that they can individually make a difference. For those who will lead, they need to recognise their role in moulding new economic practices which will become their responsibility as they take up positions in business, commerce and governance in the coming years. This is the purpose of ESR. TAKING ESR SERIOUSLY In order to ensure that ESR is effectively integrated into IAPS schools, teachers themselves need to understand the significance of this whole area. Therefore, attending training days, doing personal research into these areas, or finding that champion amongst a school s management team to run school INSET days and drive the integration, are all vitally important. The IAPS website is being developed to offer teacher links to inspire teachers and so enable them to inspire their pupils. Parents also need to see the significance of this foundational aspect of their children s education, and using the knowledge and skills of those parents already engaged in corporate social responsibility is an effective way to raise the profile of ESR, without it being seen as some kind of educational fad. After all the numbers of those involved in corporate social responsibility in the UK have increase from dozens to thousands in the last 30 years and today, socially responsible investment has grown to become a $13tn global industry. CURRENT GOOD PRACTICE/THEORY. The IAPS web site has a whole section dedicated to ESR. The link https://iaps.uk/member/esrresources/ will take you straight to that page. Please use it for developing this vital aspect of
education in your school, and if you have brilliant things going on in your school community, please share these with us by contacting me at the email address below. headmaster@reigatestmarys.org