What are the core capabilities?

The Education for Sustainability (EfS) Capabilities Framework describes the core capabilities for sustainability practitioners who effectively use education to achieve sustainability outcomes. Core capabilities can be understood as essential talents or abilities, encompassing a combination of knowledge, understandings, attitudes, skills and personal qualities.

The sustainability practitioner core capabilities are divided into three learning categories and twelve associated learning areas.

The learning categories are:

• Basic understanding
• Design delivery and evaluation
• Support, partnerships and commitment.

The learning areas are:

• Understanding of education for sustainability
• Understanding of sustainability issues
• Principles of community education
• Sourcing and collecting information
• Communication
• Program development
• Facilitation
• Monitoring and evaluating
• Change management
• Project management
• Leadership
• Marketing and campaigning.
  
  Finding out more about the learning categories and learning areas will help you to make the most of the Hub tools and resources.

The Education for Sustainability (EfS) Capabilities Framework describes the core capabilities for sustainability practitioners who effectively use education to achieve sustainability outcomes. Core capabilities can be understood as essential talents or abilities, encompassing a combination of knowledge, understandings, attitudes, skills and personal qualities.

The sustainability practitioner core capabilities are divided into three learning categories and twelve associated learning areas.

The learning categories are:

• Basic understanding
• Design delivery and evaluation
• Support, partnerships and commitment.

The learning areas are:

• Understanding of education for sustainability
• Understanding of sustainability issues
• Principles of community education
• Sourcing and collecting information
• Communication
• Program development
• Facilitation
• Monitoring and evaluating
• Change management
• Project management
• Leadership
• Marketing and campaigning.
  
  Finding out more about the learning categories and learning areas will help you to make the most of the Hub tools and resources.

Learning category: Basic understanding
This learning category considers the basic understandings or general knowledge and awareness needed to effectively use EfS as a tool for change. It is divided into three related learning areas.

Understanding of EfS
An understanding of the nature, scope and objectives of EfS is vital to informed practice. It provides the theory that underpins good practice and the base upon which you can use your practical experiences to develop your own theories of practice in EfS.

Understanding of sustainability issues
A comprehensive knowledge of the sustainability issues you are working with is fundamental to developing effective EfS programs. There is a need to know not only the basic concepts related to the topic, but also about relevant current debates and issues, government policies and local, state, national and global case studies.

Principles of community education
Effective practice in community-based EfS requires an understanding of the principles of adult and community education. These principles provide a base upon which you can reflect on your practical experiences and community-based EfS.

Learning category: Basic understanding
This learning category considers the basic understandings or general knowledge and awareness needed to effectively use EfS as a tool for change. It is divided into three related learning areas.

Understanding of EfS
An understanding of the nature, scope and objectives of EfS is vital to informed practice. It provides the theory that underpins good practice and the base upon which you can use your practical experiences to develop your own theories of practice in EfS.

Understanding of sustainability issues
A comprehensive knowledge of the sustainability issues you are working with is fundamental to developing effective EfS programs. There is a need to know not only the basic concepts related to the topic, but also about relevant current debates and issues, government policies and local, state, national and global case studies.

Principles of community education
Effective practice in community-based EfS requires an understanding of the principles of adult and community education. These principles provide a base upon which you can reflect on your practical experiences and community-based EfS.

Learning category: Design, delivery and evaluation

This learning category considers the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to design, deliver and evaluate effective EfS programs. It is divided into five related learning areas

Sourcing and collecting information
New information is constantly being gained and disseminated, and old information discussed and revised in the area of sustainability. Therefore sourcing and collecting information and differentiating between what is important and unimportant is essential to keep abreast of current trends.

Communication
Effective communication skills are essential for all EfS activities. There is a need to be able to inspire people, to encourage dialogue, and address the needs of your audience in order to communicate effectively. Being able to write and produce print and multimedia materials are also important communication skills.

Program development
Knowledge of program development is necessary to design effective sustainability programs that are current and relevant for your audience. This will help them to contextualise issues of sustainability within their own life and work in order to achieve desired sustainability outcomes.

Facilitation
Understanding and developing effective facilitation skills is vital for delivering sustainability programs. Focusing on the relevant aspects of facilitation suitable for your audience helps participants to think critically, ensures the participation of everyone, encourages collaboration, offers alternative ways of interpreting and helps everyone to understand. Good facilitation encourages ownership and commitment for sustainability.

Monitoring and evaluating 

Monitoring and evaluating projects, programs and activities is an important process that needs to be planned at the start of an EfS program in order to help you find out what works and what does not. Having the knowledge and skills to comprehensively monitor and evaluate outcomes is invaluable for program improvement, providing feedback to partners and allowing others to learn from your experience.

Learning category: Design, delivery and evaluation

This learning category considers the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to design, deliver and evaluate effective EfS programs. It is divided into five related learning areas

Sourcing and collecting information
New information is constantly being gained and disseminated, and old information discussed and revised in the area of sustainability. Therefore sourcing and collecting information and differentiating between what is important and unimportant is essential to keep abreast of current trends.

Communication
Effective communication skills are essential for all EfS activities. There is a need to be able to inspire people, to encourage dialogue, and address the needs of your audience in order to communicate effectively. Being able to write and produce print and multimedia materials are also important communication skills.

Program development
Knowledge of program development is necessary to design effective sustainability programs that are current and relevant for your audience. This will help them to contextualise issues of sustainability within their own life and work in order to achieve desired sustainability outcomes.

Facilitation
Understanding and developing effective facilitation skills is vital for delivering sustainability programs. Focusing on the relevant aspects of facilitation suitable for your audience helps participants to think critically, ensures the participation of everyone, encourages collaboration, offers alternative ways of interpreting and helps everyone to understand. Good facilitation encourages ownership and commitment for sustainability.

Monitoring and evaluating 

Monitoring and evaluating projects, programs and activities is an important process that needs to be planned at the start of an EfS program in order to help you find out what works and what does not. Having the knowledge and skills to comprehensively monitor and evaluate outcomes is invaluable for program improvement, providing feedback to partners and allowing others to learn from your experience.

Learning category: Support, partnerships and commitment

This learning category considers the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to establish and maintain community support, partnerships, commitment and change for sustainability. It is divided into four related learning areas.

Change management

Change management is one of your most relevant and challenging activities when working in the field of sustainability. There is a need to understand change for sustainability with a systems perspective, and to acknowledge the cultural dimension as the focal point of attention. Managing change requires you to help facilitate change for sustainability within the organisation you are working in, and to help others to become change agents themselves.

Project management

Understanding the processes involved in project management will help you to get things done. Project management for sustainability requires the understanding of less rigid, more flexible procedures and a systems approach.

Leadership

As a leader for sustainability you will be a role model based on your passion, commitment and vision. Effective leadership for sustainability involves relying on less hierarchical relationships, sharing control and ownership and allowing for processes of collective leadership to emerge.

Marketing and campaigning

Acknowledging the relevance of marketing and campaigning will open up new ways for you and your audience to facilitate community action. Marketing and campaigning are also ways to increase public knowledge about an issue, to gain support and to build networks of collaboration for sustainability.

Learning category: Support, partnerships and commitment

This learning category considers the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to establish and maintain community support, partnerships, commitment and change for sustainability. It is divided into four related learning areas.

Change management

Change management is one of your most relevant and challenging activities when working in the field of sustainability. There is a need to understand change for sustainability with a systems perspective, and to acknowledge the cultural dimension as the focal point of attention. Managing change requires you to help facilitate change for sustainability within the organisation you are working in, and to help others to become change agents themselves.

Project management

Understanding the processes involved in project management will help you to get things done. Project management for sustainability requires the understanding of less rigid, more flexible procedures and a systems approach.

Leadership

As a leader for sustainability you will be a role model based on your passion, commitment and vision. Effective leadership for sustainability involves relying on less hierarchical relationships, sharing control and ownership and allowing for processes of collective leadership to emerge.

Marketing and campaigning

Acknowledging the relevance of marketing and campaigning will open up new ways for you and your audience to facilitate community action. Marketing and campaigning are also ways to increase public knowledge about an issue, to gain support and to build networks of collaboration for sustainability.