RCE Tongyeong - 2023

ESD Instructor - ESD Vocational Training Program for Women and Retiree
Basic Information
Title of project : 
ESD Instructor - ESD Vocational Training Program for Women and Retiree
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Tongyeong
Contributing organization(s) : 
RCE Tongyeong, Tongyeong city, Schools in Gyeongsangnam-do
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Unji Lee
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Tongyeong
E-mail: 
tyrce.ujlee@gmail.com
Name: 
Bomyeong Seo
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Tongyeong
E-mail: 
tyrce.bmseo@gmail.com
Name: 
Woojin Lee
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Tongyeong
E-mail: 
tyrce.wjlee@gmail.com
Format of project: 
manuscript, PowerPoint, audiovisual
Language of project: 
Korean/English
Date of submission:
Monday, August 7, 2023
Web link: 
https://rce.or.kr/pbbs/bbs/board.php?bo_table=newsletter&wr_id=2416
Additional resources: 
2019 The 1st ESD Vocational Training Program for Women and Retiree
https://rce.or.kr/pbbs/bbs/board.php?bo_table=newsletter&wr_id=1999&stx=%EC%A7%80%EB%8F%84%EC%82%AC&sop=and&page=2
2020 The 2nd ESD Vocational Training Program for Women and Retiree
https://rce.or.kr/pbbs/bbs/board.php?bo_table=newsletter&wr_id=2100&stx=%EC%A7%80%EB%8F%84%EC%82%AC&sop=and&page=2
2021 The 3rd ESD Vocational Training Program for Women and Retiree
https://rce.or.kr/pbbs/bbs/board.php?bo_table=newsletter&wr_id=2236&stx=%EC%A7%80%EB%8F%84%EC%82%AC&sop=and&page=2
2022 The 4th ESD Vocational Training Program for Women and Retiree
https://rce.or.kr/pbbs/bbs/board.php?bo_table=newsletter&wr_id=2311&stx=%EC%A7%80%EB%8F%84%EC%82%AC&sop=and&page=1
2022 The 5th ESD Vocational Training Program for Women and Retiree
https://rce.or.kr/pbbs/bbs/board.php?bo_table=newsletter&wr_id=2340&stx=%EC%A7%80%EB%8F%84%EC%82%AC&sop=and&page=1
2023 The 6th ESD Vocational Training Program for Women and Retiree
https://rce.or.kr/pbbs/bbs/board.php?bo_table=newsletter&wr_id=2416&stx=%EC%A7%80%EB%8F%84%EC%82%AC&sop=and&page=1
Does this project link to any education and/or sustainable development policy or policies?: 
No
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Asia-Pacific
Country: 
Korea, South
Location(s): 
Tongyeong
Address of focal point institution for project: 
RCE Tongyeong (Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development)

Address : (53029) 116 Yongnam Haeanro, Yongnam-myeon, Tongyeong, Gyeongnam, Korea
Tel : +82-55-650-7400 / Fax : +82-55-650-7449 / Email : rceorg@gmail.com
Ecosystem(s):
Coastal, Forest, Mountain, Urban/Peri-urban, Wetlands
Target Audience:
Community, Higher, Primary, Secondary, Teacher Ed., TVET, Youth (Informal)
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
Tongyeong is a small coastal city with a population of 125,000 located in the province of Gyeongsangnam-do on the southern coast of South Korea. The region has a humid and temperate coastal climate, with broadleaf evergreen forest. Surrounded by more than 570 islands along its coast, the city is known for being a beautiful tourist and recreational city. It is also known as a hometown for the arts, where many famous artists from various fields such as music, literature, and art have been born and practiced their artistry. Most of the working population is engaged in fisheries or tourism, with the elderly population steadily increasing like in many regions of South Korea.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
Tongyeong was designated as RCE cities from UNU-IAS 2005. Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development (RCE) is a program of the United Nations University. An RCE is a network of existing formal, non-formal and informal organisations that facilitate learning towards sustainable development in local and regional communities. About 170 RCEs are designated since 2005. Tongyeong was designated as the 8th RCE in the world. There 7 RCE cities in Korea including RCE Tongyeong. After 10 years, with the supporting of Ministry of Envirenment of Korea, Sejahtera Forest opened 2015.

Tongyeong, a small port city situated near the southernmost tip of Korea, is capitalizing on its unique regional characteristics by implementing a range of ESD projects. One notable initiative is vocational training programs that align with the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) curriculum for women and retiree.
Contents
Status: 
Ongoing
Period: 
October, 2019
Rationale: 
A key concern in Tongyeong, low female emplyoment. RCE Tongyeong have indentified an opportunity to enable a woman who has taken time off from her professional career for personal reasons, such as raising a family to be a ESD instructor in Sejahtera Forest and schools to spread sustainability knowledge, attitude, skills. This initiative not only offers an opportunity for women on a career break to re-enter the workforce but also contributes to building a more sustainable community. Through their role as ESD instructors, these women can play a vital part in spreading sustainability philisophy, fostering positive attitudes towards the environment, and cultivating essential skills among the youth, creating a sustainable future for Tongyeong.
Objectives: 
- Thier professional development of understanding ESD and Tongyeong as instructors in accordance with requirement the public shool teacher strandards
- Providing ESD vocational training for women and retiree to spread the ESD in the community
Activities and/or practices employed: 
1. Certificate Course: 30 hours class including various subjects such as climate change, gender equaility, social justice, pollutions, and fair trade related to ESD. After finished the course, the test will be conducted for participants who complete the course and submit the assignments.

2. Vovational Training Course: for the participants who get the ESD Instructor certificate, we are providing vacational training course more than 6 months. RCE Tongyeong will provide the teaching skills and programmes of RCE Tongyeong.

3. Activities as an ESD instructor : After finished the Certificate Course and Vocational Training Coures, they can work as ESD instructors in Sejahtera Forest and schools. until now, 56 intructors has worked in action to spread ESD into community and shcools. they provide the Sejahtera ESD field trip programme for 10,000 participants and teach ESD Subject whcin consist of 17 classes in Middle schools for 2,000 students during a semester.
Size of academic audience: 
40 people per year
Results: 
- until now, 56 instrutors have been trained and 30 intrucotrs have currently worked.
- The ESD instuctor certificate course was indentified as Private Qualification Registration system; This type of registration could be maintained by a government agency or a reputable private entity, and it aims to ensure that individuals with verified qualifications can be easily identified and trusted in the job market.
- The ESD instuctor certificate course was awarded first prize in the linfelong learning programme compitition in Gyeongnam Province.
- The instructors have provided the Sejahtera ESD field trip programme for 10,000 participants and ESD subject for 2,000 middle school students a years and the evaluation of programs and classes has received high scores.
Lessons learned: 
Throguth this programme, we make a positive impact of empowering women on a career break to become Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) instructors. By providing them with vocational training and knowledge related to sustainability, they were able to re-enter the workforce and play a vital role in spreading sustainability awareness in the community. The program's success shows that addressing low female employment through targeted initiatives can lead to significant positive outcomes for both individuals and the community.
Key messages: 
By equipping these women with the necessary skills and knowledge, they become instrumental in fostering positive attitudes towards the environment and cultivating essential sustainability skills among the youth. This not only addresses the issue of low female employment but also contributes to creating a sustainable future for Tongyeong. The program's recognition through awards and high evaluation scores underscores the value and effectiveness of such initiatives in achieving sustainability goals.
Funding: 
Inverstment from Tongyeong city govenment and subsidy from Gyeonsangnamdo Institute for Talent & Lifelong Education.

Pictures:

File Name Caption for picture Photo Credit
Image icon 제6차ESD지도사자격과정.jpg (331.18 KB) The 6th ESD Instructor Vocational Training Program Seol Hyeonjoong
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere 
Indirect
SDG 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture 
Indirect
SDG 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages 
Indirect
SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 
Direct
SDG 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 
Direct
SDG 6 - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 
Indirect
SDG 7 - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 
Indirect
SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all 
Direct
SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and foster innovation 
Indirect
SDG 10 - Reduce inequality within and among countries 
Indirect
SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 
Indirect
SDG 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 
Indirect
SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 
Direct
SDG 14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 
Indirect
SDG 15 - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss 
Indirect
SDG 16 - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 
Indirect
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Indirect
Theme
Traditional Knowledge  
Indirect
Curriculum Development 
Direct
Ecotourism 
Indirect
Forests/Trees 
Indirect
Plants & Animals 
Indirect
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 3 - Developing capacities of educators and trainers 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 4 - Mobilizing youth 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
No
I acknowledge the above: 
Yes