We believe the approach we take to our work (the ‘how’) is equally as important as the works itself (the ‘what’). Our philosophy of development is the foundation for how we support children and young people in developing resilience, passion and leadership, breaking down unequal power relationships, and building a more just, equal and sustainable future for themselves, their families, and their communities.
1 – Education Matters
Education is at the core of educate.’s model. We believe that education lies at the root of positive, sustainable development and the creation of more just societies.
Higher levels of education correlate with higher incomes, better health outcomes, greater gender equality, stronger democracies, and more peaceful societies. But beyond its benefits for development, education allows helps young people build confidence, knowledge and skills, it allows them to understand their rights, and it empowers them as critical and active citizens who can be agents of ongoing development in and for their communities.
2 – A holistic approach
Children and young people do not exist in isolation. We involve families, teachers, school directors, municipal authorities, and local partners in each of our programmes to ensure we are engaging educational systems as a whole.
Additionally, we know that holistic support is necessary for young people to thrive. Our scholarship programme goes beyond simple supporting youth in accessing education – we also provide mentorship, academic support, access to mental health services, leadership workshops, sexual health education, and engagement in weekly youth empowerment programmes. This holistic approach ensures rural youth have the support they need to succeed.
3 – a gender transformative approach
We believe change starts by challenging the roots of inequality – not just the symptoms. Taking a gender-transformative approach in our work means we don’t just create equal opportunities, but actively work to shift harmful gender norms, promote shared leadership, and question unequal power structures.
We do this in many ways, such as through creating safe, inclusive spaces through workshops, where youth can openly discuss gender, sexuality and power dynamics in their lives; we reflect on the different gendered realities that girls, boys, and young men and women face in accessing education and opportunities for personal development; and we uplift young leaders and support them in challenging traditional norms and stereotypes.
A gender-transformative approach allows us to work towards a world of gender justice.
4 – Participatory, horizontal and experiential learning
We believe that education goes beyond the classroom. Hands-on, inquiry-based education that builds on young people’s own life experiences allows for active and critical engagement that ultimately leads to deeper and more meaningful learning.
We work alongside children and youth – guiding, rather than teaching – to explore literacy, STEM, video production, mural painting, and other hands-on learning experiences where young people take the lead!
5 – A grassroots focus that centres local leaders – especially youth!
We believe that those who are affected by a problem are in the best place to take the lead on the solutions. For that reason, we take a grassroots approach that empowers local leaders – and particularly youth – as protagonists. We believe in the power of young people to foster change in their families, schools and communities.
To learn more about the beginnings of this approach, check out this TEDx talk given by one of educate.‘s founders at a TEDxYouth conference in Zurich in 2017. Antonia talks about how her experiences with high school “service trips” to Ghana, followed by a year of working as a volunteer in Honduras, led her to shaping her own views ideas of “service” and “aid.” These ideas helped build the foundation of educate.‘s philosophy and approach today.
educate. 