Global Schools Advocates Program 2026 For Primary or Secondary School Educators Worldwide (Free Online Training, Global Visibility + Certificate)

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Applications are open for Global Schools Advocates Program 2026. Global Schools Advocates Program is a free online opportunity designed to help educators bring sustainability, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and global issues into their classrooms and wider school communities.

Global Schools’ flagship initiative, the Global Schools Advocates Program, is a cohort-style program for educators and school leaders globally who want to integrate themes of sustainable development into their classrooms.

Developed with insights gathered from over 220 sustainable development experts and 40+ educators, the program supports schools in integrating sustainable development into school curricula, operations, and pedagogy. The program provides educators with: 1.) training and pedagogical materials 2.) a global community of liked-minded educators.

The Global Schools Advocates Program is a cohort-based initiative for teachers and school leaders who want to integrate Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into their classrooms, school operations and teaching practices.

PROGRAM COMPONENTS

Global Schools Advocates are teachers and school leaders working at the pre-primary, primary and secondary school levels. They act as local action planners, working together with their school community to bring sustainable development to classrooms.

Training
- Advocates will complete the training program to enhance their understanding of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).
Introduce ESD to School Community
- Advocates will introduce Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to their students, department, and school leadership.
Integrate ESD in the school community
- Using the provided Advocate Toolkit, Lesson Plans and Activities Guides, Advocates will implement lessons and activities within their classroom or their entire school community that educate students on sustainable development and inspire others to take action.
Share with the world
- Advocates have the opportunity to engage with educator mentors and attend monthly professional development sessions to share their learnings and exchange ideas with other educators.

Global Schools Advocates Program Benefits

Teachers accepted to the program will receive:

Free online training, developed by the Global Schools team to increase sustainable development literacy and provide teachers with new, active strategies to implement in the classroom;
Monthly online workshops and conversations on sustainable development to connect educators with other education leaders and SDG Advocates;
Access to an educator network of like-minded teachers working to implement activities and lessons on global issues within their classrooms;
Visibility opportunities and participation in conferences as educators can be selected to share their advocacy work at the International Conference on Sustainable Development, the Vatican Youth Symposium, the ECOSOC Youth Forum, and in the Global Schools Case-Study Guide;
Structured mentorship program with an experienced educator who has already completed the Global Schools Advocates program;
A comprehensive Advocates Toolkit with 17+ supporting documents meant to guide their work in school communities;
A formal Certificate of Completion.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants are teachers at primary or secondary school worldwide (teachers employed through volunteering programs such as UN Volunteers, Fulbright, Teach for All, etc. are also eligible).
Applicants possess a high level of English to complete the Advocates Training and engage with the global network.
Willingness to commit a minimum of 5 hours per week for this role. Global Schools does not require you to implement a defined curriculum. Your 5-10 hours a week should be spent learning, brainstorming with other teachers, experimenting with integrating sustainable development in your lesson plans, and creating a movement for sustainable development in your school.
Passion for the mission of the sustainable development goals and the Paris Climate Agreement. However, no prior experience with the sustainable development goals is required!
Willingness to learn and engage with a global community of teachers.
Ability to inspire others and willingness to motivate other teachers and faculty in your school to join you on your ESD journey!