Programme Convenor Dr Donnell Davis discusses Life Long Learing in this blog on Education Day 2025

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UN Education Day on 24 January is celebrated every year by Soroptimist International South East Asia Pacific, and this year our theme is Lifelong Learning. Education is a strong pillar of our global mandate for Soroptimist International to educate, empower and enable, and operationally a specific objective for our South East Asia Pacific federation. The sustainable development goals include: SDG 4 for formal education, SDG 8 for decent work, and others.
The concept of lifelong learning has evolved since the 1980s and in summary, is defined simply as ‘the self-motivated pursuit of formal or informal knowledge and skills for personal and professional development’. It follows that gaining those attributes may be found anywhere from early education, primary or secondary formal schooling, life-skills, vocational or community education. Professional bodies provide continuing professional and personal development catering for their membership. Furthermore, scope may include universities of the third age for retired people. This scope is one’s journey of choice into areas of interest and expertise. During our evolving working lives, we may experience as many as seven professions with the hunger for intellectual stimulation and for re-inventing oneself as a requirement for resilience. (McKenzie Research: 2024)
In Asia Pacific, the progress towards Sustainable Development Goals is monitored annually, illustrating regression or stagnation in most targets across the board since covid. (UNESCAP 2024) In SISEAP, we concentrate on 13 countries that fall into 2 sub-regions – the Pacific and South East Asia. In November 2024, UNESCAP proposed a future for education to be inclusive, green and digital, and fundedUN Education Day on 24 January is celebrated every year by Soroptimist International South East Asia Pacific, and this year our theme is Lifelong Learning. Education is a strong pillar of our global mandate for Soroptimist International to educate, empower and enable, and operationally a specific objective for our South East Asia Pacific federation. The sustainable development goals include: SDG 4 for formal education, SDG 8 for decent work, and others.

The concept of lifelong learning has evolved since the 1980s and in summary, is defined simply as ‘the self-motivated pursuit of formal or informal knowledge and skills for personal and professional development’. It follows that gaining those attributes may be found anywhere from early education, primary or secondary formal schooling, life-skills, vocational or community education. Professional bodies provide continuing professional and personal development catering for their membership. Furthermore, scope may include universities of the third age for retired people. This scope is one’s journey of choice into areas of interest and expertise. During our evolving working lives, we may experience as many as seven professions with the hunger for intellectual stimulation and for re-inventing oneself as a requirement for resilience. (McKenzie Research: 2024)
In Asia Pacific, the progress towards Sustainable Development Goals is monitored annually, illustrating regression or stagnation in most targets across the board since covid. (UNESCAP 2024) In SISEAP, we concentrate on 13 countries that fall into 2 sub-regions – the Pacific and South East Asia. In November 2024, UNESCAP proposed a future for education to be inclusive, green and digital, and funded . https://www.unescap.org/kp/2024/charting-new-paths-gender-equality-and-empowerment-asia-pacific-regional-report-beijing30

Even access to basic primary education is regressing for all children and more so for girls. (UNESCAP: B+30 review 2024). So, the opportunities for children, girls and women have an unstable foundation upon which to build resilience in life.

Across our countries there is significant variability from free education for all 4-year-olds in rich countries with government-supported systems, in stark comparison against lower developmental countries that are plagued with conflict or corruption where there is diminished commitment for basic human rights, economic stability, and resilience.
However, when we think of lifelong learning, we think of older girls and women re-entering education after early marriage, pregnancy and raising a family. Others escaping disasters or conflict need to learn different life skills, especially physical and mental health management for themselves and others. For entrepreneurial women, they seek economic empowerment skills for running small business, managing growth, navigating markets, excelling in innovation and embracing technology. These women demonstrate skills in leapfrogging in industry measured under SDG 9 – the only target to improve during covid in Asia Pacific.

When a child is educated the community benefits, when a community is educated the country benefits (GDP), when a country is educated the world benefits (SDGs).

SEAP Delivers in many ways

SISEAP reported Education impact for 2024

SISEAP provides donations, scholarships, bursaries, voluntary teaching hours, facilitating care centres, schools and safe learning environments, specific skills facilitation, and advocacy enabling governments to advance the opportunity and delivery of better educational outcomes.  The following includes samples from our 8 objectives.

In SISEAP, many projects support vulnerable children, adolescents and women. Other ways include:

• scholarships, bursaries, to pursue educational outcomes
• donations for educational supplies, equipment, uniforms, breakfast and meals onsite
  donations of technology/ access and connectivity
• formal training for entrepreneurship education in life skills (if children were traded at a young age and adopted by the justice system)
• second chance education for young mothers re-education of widows or women escaping violence
• customised training for migrant and refugee women and girls, families
• re-training for older women who re-enter the workforce
• broad opportunities for green and digital education (STEM, Climate resilience)
• opportunities for older women to engage in society, paid work, academia, and community eldership.

What Happens if we don't faciliate LifeLong Learning!

In Asia Pacific, the risk of modern slavery is high because those poorly educated populations are prime targets for economic exploitation, human rights violation, and international human trafficking. In 2022, 85 million people were on the move in our region. In 2024, IOM reports that where half the world’s population is in Asia Pacific, 40% of those are “migrants”. With 46% being women and 19% girls, there is a higher chance of forced labour, forced marriage, early pregnancies, sex trafficking and intensive manual labour. (UNODC 2022) There are restricted opportunities for those females to continue lifelong learning, or indeed a long life at all.

This age group (15-24 year old) is most at risk of poverty and exploitation 

Source: UNODC and SDG 8.7 report card

Lifelong learning starts with a sound foundation to underpin continuing personal and professional development and those tools help for identifying and realising the unique potential of each person. This is the basis of a healthy future for the community, the economy, and in the pursuit of global goals.

Do you want to know more about SISEAP and the work we do.  Clubs are always looking for new members,  add your voice to our voices and make that change.  Find out more here 

Congratulations to Audrey who received a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division - OAM, for services to the community through a range of organisations.

Audrey is currently a member of SI The Hills District Inc, and has served on many positions in Soroptimist International at Club, Region and Federation levels. Audrey was Region Treasurer 2002-2004, Federation Treasurer 2006-2008 and Region President 2008-2009. Other community services in her citation were for Waverley Historical Society, Prince of Wales Hospital and Waverley Community and Seniors Association.  This is a well deserved honour for Audrey McCallum OAM.

President -Terry Maunsell

Secretary - Jullie Griffin

Soroptimist International Region of New South Wales Inc

SI Bangsar - World Environment Day Activity with Kampung Sebir Indigenous Community
In conjunction with World Environment Day 5th June 2022, an initiative to raise awareness on effective waste management involved a clean-up activity for the Orang Asli community of Kampung Sebir. The community is not provided with any consistent, effective waste disposal service, resulting in an excessive amount of littering in the vicinity of their homes.

In collaboration with International Medical University, SI Seremban and SWM Corp, the event was successfully conducted between 9 am-noon on 12 June 2022, with an opening address by YB Nicole Tan, (past president of SI Seremban), who is the MP of Bukit Kepayang. Kg Sebir falls under her constituency.

Long-term initiatives were discussed with YB Nicole and her team in sustaining waste management services, and other methods to enhance the quality of life for the community.

SI Bangsar - World Environment Day Activity with Indigenous Community
In conjunction with World Environment Day 5th June 2022, an initiative to raise awareness on effective waste management involved a clean-up activity for the Orang Asli community of Kampung Sebir. The community is not provided with any consistent, effective waste disposal service, resulting in an excessive amount of littering in the vicinity of their homes.

In collaboration with International Medical University, SI Seremban and SWM Corp, the event was successfully conducted between 9 am-noon on 12 June 2022, with an opening address by YB Nicole Tan, (past president of SI Seremban), who is the MP of Bukit Kepayang. Kg Sebir falls under her constituency.

Long-term initiatives were discussed with YB Nicole and her team in sustaining waste management services, and other methods to enhance the quality of life for the community.

As pollinators, bees play a part in every aspect of the ecosystem. They support the growth of trees, flowers, and other plants, which serve as food and shelterВ ..

SI Griffith club members embraced the suggestion by one of their members, Jennifer Van Den Hoek to purchase Bee Houses and donate these to local schools as one of their contributions to Environment month. Of the 19 schools in the area who were approached, 15 took up the offer to receive one. The items were purchased from a local hardware store and delivered to the schools. Each Bee House had a label attached indicating that it had been donated by Soroptimist International Griffith for World Environment Month 2022.

The club is hoping that the children will be encouraged to monitor the behaviour of insects and bees, to safely navigate the spaces they share with these important creatures and to increase their respect for our precious environment.

The Apron Project Showcase aims to educate and raise awareness of Domestic Violence in towns across NSW while raising much needed funds for Women's services at each town stop with an apron showcase, community art projects and the sharing of stories.

Soroptimist International South West Slopes were invited to participate in the Apron Project, for Women's Community Shelters in NSW.В 

The exhibition represented:

43 lives lost toВ domestic and family violenceВ in 2021В andВ 

27 lives lost to August 2022 marked with red ribbon.В ~ 1 single pair representing Olga Edwards.В В 

Organizer
The Apron Project was conceived by Sallianne McClelland, who has 30 years in Event Creation and Direction. Sallianne is a Hornsby Shire Councillor,В Board Advisor to Boomerang Meeting Place Inc (Mogo),В Advocate Women's Community Shelters (WCS), Past President HKWS, former Director Development Women's Community Shelters, and former Resilience NSW Mogo Recovery Officer. SallianneВ has been recognised asВ NSW Local Woman of Year, Hornsby.

Soroptimist International South West Slopes were invited to participate in the Apron Project, for Women's Community Shelters in NSW.В 

The exhibition represented:

43 lives lost toВ domestic and family violenceВ in 2021В andВ 

27 lives lost to August 2022 marked with red ribbon.В ~ 1 single pair representing Olga Edwards.В В 

Organizer
The Apron Project was conceived by Sallianne McClelland, who has 30 years in Event Creation and Direction. Sallianne is a Hornsby Shire Councillor,В Board Advisor to Boomerang Meeting Place Inc (Mogo),В Advocate Women's Community Shelters (WCS), Past President HKWS, former Director Development Women's Community Shelters, and former Resilience NSW Mogo Recovery Officer. SallianneВ has been recognised asВ NSW Local Woman of Year, Hornsby.

Multi-SensoryВ TimeВ KitsВ help people to recall memories through the senses, this project see SI Albany in Western Australia launched theirВ multi-sensory KitsВ at a recent regional meeting.

MemberВ Rosalind Sawyer (retired) Occupational Therapist, suggested thisВ project ideaВ to the club. The club developed the concept with partners the City of Albany (through the Brandenberg Trust) and the Western Australian government. Through the Department of Communities, the partnership enabled kits to be produced and for promotion and marketing to commence in earnest.

The trials of the kits in local nursing homes and a local dementia day centre have proved very successful. The project is a very hands on project withВ Club members craftingВ the items in each kit. The kits provide memory prompts, by calling on the senses such as sight, touch, and smell, which encourage happy memories and discussion. Each of the themes relates to life experiences.

The kits are available individually or as a set. They would make aВ great asset to care providers.

More details can be foundВ HEREВ or via the SI Albany's Facebook page, which can be foundВ HERE.