Resources

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development sets ambitious goals to transform our world, balancing the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. To rise to the challenges posed by these goals and to ensure no one is left behind, it is critically important that local communities are involved in the planning and management of sustainable development and the promotion of sustainable lifestyles. The 2030 Agenda encompasses all aspects of our lives, which implies that learning, if it is to contribute fully to this agenda, must be seen as both lifelong and life-wide. The relevance of community-based non-formal education and informal learning for children, young people and adults, especially those not in education or from marginalized or disadvantaged parts of society, must be recognized and fostered in every country of the world if the 17 Sustainable Development Goals are to be met. This Policy Brief proposes six action principles and four policy recommendations to advance community-based lifelong learning for sustainable development. They summarize the lessons of successful community-based learning for sustainable development, drawn from around the world.