Complementing the formal education system

In their submission, YSI recommended that the SoS:

commits to working with the Department of Education and Skills, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, and other stakeholders from the formal, informal, and non-formal education sectors to help all young people realise their full potential.

Gaisce mentioned that they would welcome a “reference to the Department’s ongoing support for the national framework of self-development awards”, and highlighted the merit in outlining a commitment to “youth-led self-development”. YSI called for the SoS to support “active learning and community based action projects” that can help young people “to meet the six indicators of wellbeing identified by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment”. YSI called for additional support to enable it to scale its work with young people “on key challenges currently facing Ireland: e.g. Brexit, climate emergency, and covid-19, as explicitly recognised in the current Programme for Government”.

NCYI, IDEA, YSI and the IGG recommended building the capacity of both formal and informal educators to deliver “development education”, as outlined in SDG Target 4.7. NCYI suggested creating a forum of interests to support the youth sector implementation of the SDG Agenda, the National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development, and the forthcoming Irish Aid Development Education Strategy.