Abstract:

There is a prima facie argument that those who are affected by a decision should have a say in that decision. In terms of intergenerational equity, as well as the evolution and implementation of Transition Management agendas, this should coercively include young people, which are also typically not pursued, as most of visions and Transition Strategies are developed, often for good reasons, by experts and specialists in relevant fields. Given their socio-cultural context, approach to technology, their experiences of risky and volatile times etc. 10-12-year-old people are likely to have very different notions of their specific future, and the way sustainability is evolving within this. In short, not involving young people in the Transition Pathways and Management agenda risks a governance deficit as well as an implementation challenge. To understand how young people, conceptualise their future within the wider theoretical framework of Transition Management and the role of CSR in promoting sustainable lifestyles, 105 Swiss pupils, living in Oberrieden, at ages between 10 and 12 were asked to write an essay about their future visions and how they relate to sustainability transition with the corresponding investigation of the implications of this for the private and public sector. The paper outlines the visions, the pupils’ perception of the future and evaluates the adopted solution (i.e. pathways).

The essays contained astonishing perceptions of the pupils’ imaginations of sustainable futures, which were collated and digested. For instance, contrary to perceptions about the fully-connected lifestyles of modern pupils, they were apprehensive about e.g. the rapid pace of technological change, they fear isolation, and “not being able to keep up”. Apart from a stakeholder analysis, which substantiated that concerning questions about the future the youth is a “definitive” stakeholder, the texts were qualitatively analysed (using traditional coding systems). The inspiring but regarding sentiments also quite screwed results needed more analysis. Leximancer’s “Sentiment Lens”, its “reclustering”-option “change to social network map” were used to reveal the deepness of the perceptions, imaginations, and visions written down in some seemingly usual essays written in class.

On a first glimpse, this does not seem to be a novelty regarding new learning technologies, however what started as some sort of enquiry-based learning induced an astonishing change in the Swiss political and social setting, which might bear a title like this “TO HAND OVER VOICE, TO GRANT A SAY, AND TO ENDORSE THE YOUTH WITH POWER AS A TRANSITION PATHWAYS TEACHING AND MANAGING APPROACH – REVOLUTIONARY BUT TRAILBLAZINGLY SUCCESSFUL DUE TO THE INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICS, POLICIES, AND POLITY OF THOSE AFFECTED!”

To kill two birds with one stone – this was the effect of the infusion of some creativity into the education of future citizens, since this rose a generation of innovators, of change makers, and/or guides who might shepherd this country into a sustainable future. This involves a viable theoretical framework that is strong and deeply anchored and, to some extent, a convergence between the nurture of characteristics as taking charge, feeling responsible, the education of leaders, and pathway components (i.e., hands-on drivers to induce change processes – as identified in this research.

Keywords:

Transition Pathways, future visions, governance deficit, implementation challenge, hand over voice, grant a say, involvement of those affected.