[2023] Sustainable Development Goals Youth Summer Camp

Official Documents

Syllbaus (updated as of 14 Aug 2023)

Information Note (updated as of 14 August 2023)

Background

Since the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at its core, was adopted in 2015 by the UN Member States, countries have responded to achieve these agreed-upon goals by 2030 with their ambitious plan of action. At the mid-way point towards 2030, however, we are still far from achieving the SDGs due to multiple global crises such as climate change, pandemic, and armed conflicts. According to the SDG Progress Report of the UN Secretary General, close to half of the SDG targets are off track, and some 30% have seen no movement or even regressed below the 2015 baseline

As the 2030 Agenda calls for the “participation of all countries, all stakeholders, and all people”, now it is high time for every stakeholder to accelerate SDGs implementation at all levels. One of the stakeholders – ‘Youth’ is of primary importance in forging leadership, ideas, and momentum to facilitate change and build constructive solutions. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed young people hold the key to creative solutions, and as digital natives, they can drive innovation and accelerate progress.2 Youth actively striving to further advance their knowledge, skills, and mindsets for sustainable development is vital to the successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Acknowledging the role of youth in the implementation of SDGs, the UN has served as a supporting platform for young people through which their engagement in sustainable development can be advanced. For instance, “Youth 2030: The United Nations Youth Strategy” was launched in 2018 to ensure youth’s involvement in the implementation, review, and follow-up of the 2030 Agenda. In addition, a global youth event named “ECOSOC Youth Forum” has been organized to share creative ideas and innovative solutions to global problems. With more opportunities to explore innovative solutions to worldwide challenges, youth can be a major driving force for the implementation of the SDGs.

In this context, UNOSD has developed the capacity building program for youth on Sustainable Development since the office’s inception a decade ago. With the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015, UNOSD began organizing the “SDGs Youth Summer Camp” annually to empower youth leaders to think critically and get engaged in implementing the SDGs. Since its first summer camp in 2017, UNOSD trained nearly 240 youth thus far.

This year, the SDGs Youth Summer Camp focuses on the importance of water in terms of successfully achieving SDGs by 2030. Access to safe water is the most basic human need for health and well-being and will contribute to achieving other SDGs. Furthermore, this year marks a special cornerstone in the journey towards water-related SDGs as the halfway point of the “UN Water Action Decade (2018-2028)”. Taking this opportunity, this year’s camp encourages the participants to come up with innovative ideas and accelerated solutions for the successful achievement of water-related SDGs.

Objectives

The objectives of the 2023 SDGs Summer Camp will include but are not limited to the following:

• Build and enhance knowledge of selected youth on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
• Foster youth leadership skills with design-thinking, critical-thinking, and engagement through dialogues and exercises on successful water-related SDGs implementation;
• Provide opportunities for networking among youth; and
• Expand the host institution’s partnership with youth leaders for the SDGs

Methodologies

The “2023 SDGs Youth Summer Camp” will be held at the Yonsei University International Campus located in Incheon, Republic of Korea from 16 to 19 August. This year’s summer camp will focus on the crucial role of water in achieving the SDGs. The program will use a Design Thinking methodology which is a user-centric approach in developing accelerated solutions. Through the methodology, the participants will be able to learn how to contribute to the progress of achieving the SDGs by understanding the problems from other’s points of view (understand and empathize), redefining the problems (reframe), and creating innovative solutions (ideate, prototype, and test) to address challenges. The design thinking approach allows participants to utilize empathy, systems-thinking, and critical-thinking skills to develop skills in ideation, creative thinking, collaboration, negotiation, evaluation, advocacy, and leadership.

Learning Outcomes

After taking part in the “2023 SDGs Youth Summer Camp”, students will be able to:

• Gain knowledge on the importance of water for SDGs achievement and its interlinkages with other SDGs;
• Understand design thinking methodology as a tool to accelerate effective SDGs implementation; and
• Apply design thinking to the development of prototype solutions to advance the SDGs

Participants

Those who are born between 1995 and 2005 are eligible to apply regardless of their nationalities by submitting application forms and other required documents via Google Form. Proficiency in English is required for all participants. The participants must cover their own expenses for transportation to and from the venue (accommodation and meals provided by organizers).

Program and Structure

The program will mainly be facilitated by professors and experts who are highly specialized in teaching and applying design thinking methodology and sustainable development (Water focused) into practice with support from coaches. Their knowledge, skills, and experiences will ensure the overall quality of the summer camp and motivate the participants to be fully engaged. The sessions will include group work to allow active interaction among the participants and to share creative ideas on how to design and apply practical approaches to the SDGs implementation. All sessions will be conducted in English.

Day 1 (16 August)

Orientation and Ice-breaking

Introduction to SDGs Youth Summer Camp

Facilitator: Mr. Simon Gilby Sustainable Development Officer, UNOSD

Opening and Welcoming Remarks

• Mr. Chun Kyoo Park, Head of Office, UNOSD
• Dean Helen Lee, UIC Dean and DFK Director, Yonsei University
• Mr. Young-Tae Seo, Director of Green Transition Policy Division, Ministry of Environment (video message)
• Mr. Seung Hoon Lee, General Manager of International Cooperation Division, K-eco

Overview of the SDGs and Water-related SDGs

• Ms. Yujeong Kim, Senior Sustainable Development Officer, UNOSD

Presentation

• Mr. Zahin Razeen, Young Leader for the SDGs 2020 and Expert in Water Management and Security

Design Thinking Phase 1: Empathize

• Prof. Hyun-Kyung Lee, UIC, Yonsei University
• Facilitator: Ms. Nanyoung Kim, DFK Coach

Water Project: GIST 'Hope Water Purifier' and its Outreach & 'Seven Wonders for Water'

• Prof. Kyoung-Woong Kim, Earth Science and Envrionmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology

Group Activities and Presentations

Day 2 (17 August)

Special Lecture & Program Learning on Blender

• Mr. Jason Lee, Designer Director and Experience Designer, iloun Architecture and Design Office
• Facilitator: Prof. Hyun-Kyung Lee, Prof. Koogin Han, & Ms. Nanyoung Kim, DFK Coach

Design Thinking Phase 2: Define / Ideate

• Prof. Francis D. Kim (Chulalongkorn University), Integrated Innovation Ideation Expert Facilitator
• Facilitator: Prof. Hyun-Kyung Lee & Prof. Jae-yun Ho

Day 3 (18 August)

Design Thinking Phase 3: Prototyping Solution

• Mr. Jason Lee, Designer Director and Experience Designer, iloun Architecture and Design Office
• Facilitator: Prof. Francis D. Kim, Prof. Hyun-Kyung Lee & Prof. Koogin Han

Continued Ideation, Iteration, Design Management Strategy

• Prof. Koogin Han, Design Business Strategist, UIC, Yonsei University

Day 4 (19 August)

Design Thinking Phase 4: Deliver, Testing, Business Roadmap

• Prof. Jae-yun Ho, Business Roadmap & Strategist, UIC, Yonsei University

Final Group Presentation

Closing Remarks

• Mr. Chan-ho Park, Executive Director, Korea Environment Corporation
• Prof. Hyun-Kyung Lee, UIC, Yonsei University