Political and vocational education
The consequences of the climate crisis are becoming increasingly apparent in global and local challenges at a social, economic and political level. The increasing simultaneity and complexity of global challenges require the ability to think systemically in order to better understand interrelationships.
UfU e.V. has been active in the field of political education with a focus on the environment and climate protection for over 30 years. Aspects of socio-ecological transformation are a natural part of our work. In our projects, we enable our target groups to make the transfer from personal behavior to overall social contexts and to understand the political dimension of their actions.
Our educational projects are designed to initiate transformative learning processes and are based on the principles of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). We are increasingly trying to emphasize the overlaps between public civic (political) education and ESD and use the synergy effects of both educational approaches. It is important for us to think beyond individual action in ESD approaches and thus promote collective and systemic action. This also involves promoting the ability to criticize and reflect, e.g. in relation to existing power and domination relationships that significantly shape important decisions for a good future for all people.
Vocational training and political education
The world of work is closely linked to social transformation processes and transformative learning. In addition to learning and practising a specific profession, for many people it is also an important place of social learning, a space for experience and creativity as well as a space for self-realization. There is enormous potential here to take action together, to relate to each other socially and to initiate social change in the sense of a good life for all. In order to help shape these processes and meet existing challenges, it is necessary to address the topic of socio-ecological transformation more strongly and incorporate it into everyday working life and vocational training.
However, the climate crisis and its consequences for the world of work have so far been given little attention, particularly in the area of vocational education and training. Strengthening political education as part of vocational training can help to incorporate the social aspects of the climate crisis more into the reality of one’s own life and work.
Contact person
Marlies Bock
Energy efficiency & Energy Transition
Industrial Engineer – Environmental Engineering
Head of department Energy Efficiency & Energy Transition
Phone: +49030 4284 993 22
e-mail: marlies.bock@ufu.de
Publications
Our work in this subject area
UfU e.V. deals with concepts that show how the integration of public civic (political) education and ESD in vocational education and training can contribute to the development of action skills and thus make vocational education and training sustainable in terms of a socio-ecological transformation. An important part of this is to take into account the controversial nature and the many conflicting goals of the “climate crisis” topic in the vocational environment. Future-oriented, reciprocal learning between political education and ESD is important to us.
An important lever for strengthening sustainability in vocational education and training is continuous training and further education for specialist staff. Vocational school teachers and vocational trainers need skills that are both scientifically sound and application-oriented in order to support trainees in terms of vocational education for sustainable development (ESD).
We teach them these skills in our courses, such as the “Climate competence – camps for future professions” project (translation in english soon available). In 3-day training courses, UfU e.V. motivates teachers to apply climate protection and sustainability skills in their day-to-day work and promote the expansion of climate-friendly education in vocational schools and companies. Teachers are offered time, space and professional support in their professional field to develop teaching materials. By actively transferring the developed materials into teaching and working practice, climate protection and sustainability are to be effectively integrated into training and further education institutions and companies.
In the project “Strengthening climate skills in vocational education and training” (translation in english soon available), we explored the question of how ESD and public civic (political) education can be successfully integrated into vocational education and training with over 100 stakeholders and experts in three events between July 2023 and May 2024. We have compiled the findings in a brochure (so far only available in German).
UfU-Projects in this research field:
News in this research field:
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