Engaging Policymakers on the Value of “Inner Capacities” and Social and Emotional Learning to Enable the Flourishing of Individuals and Societies
As a core tenet of the Templeton World Charity Foundation’s (TWCF) mission, supporting research that leads to the flourishing of individuals – physical and mental wellbeing that is holistically good for both individuals and communities – is a key priority. While leaders who adopt a holistic approach have the potential to influence policy in ways that value well-being, purpose and ethical development, incorporating Human Flourishing into broader policymaking requires capacity-building around and education in character development science, and a recognition that the pathways it opens can create more ethical, empathetic and resilient individuals and societies.
Drawing from psychology, education, sociology, neuroscience and moral philosophy to understand how various personal traits are cultivated over time and in different environments, character development science seeks to determine not just how individuals develop personal qualities like integrity, resilience, empathy, responsibility and ethical reasoning, but how to integrate positive human behavior and well-being into interventions that can potentially help shape government policies in an increasingly uncertain world. By accepting that the success of a nation is not solely measured in terms of economic or political power but in shaping societies where people are able to live fulfilling lives, policymakers can have an outsized impact in catalyzing collaboration, equity and progress in the development of policies for flourishing.
In addition to funding the fundamental science of character strengths that can lead to flourishing, TWCF is supporting the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Varkey Foundation and the Inner Development Goals, whose work with policymakers at the local, regional, national and global levels are encouraging the development of inner capacities that better enable people to navigate life’s challenges.
“Education for Human Flourishing should provide opportunity and fulfillment for everyone, respecting and nurturing a broader range of strengths, including dispositions for caring and creativity,” says Yuri Belfali, Head of Division, Early Childhood and Schools at the OECD. In addition to supporting the organization’s Directorate for Education and Skills in providing strategic direction for evidence-based policymaking in early childhood education and across school systems, Belfali oversees large scale surveys, including the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which is a key component of the OECD’s work to help countries promote student well-being and excellence and equity in learning.
In recent years, challenges facing global education – from the downsides associated with digitalization to concerns about the sustainability of the planet – have prompted many countries to incorporate emotional and social learning into curriculums, and reorient education systems towards human flourishing rather than merely human capital. The COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, served as a wake-up call, highlighting the uncertainty of the future and prompting a deeper reflection on what is necessary for personal and societal well-being. Historically, education was often seen as a tool for economic growth, producing reliable labor forces. However, despite more people having access to education, the question remains: Are we living better lives?
Today, there is a growing recognition that education must go beyond traditional academic skills to help students reach their full potential and make meaningful contributions to society. This shift also reveals that social and emotional skills, such as self-awareness, ethical decision-making and life satisfaction, complement academic success rather than detract from it.
“Our focus is on leadership and how leaders are able to build trust,” says Agustín Porres, Regional Director for Latin America for the Varkey Foundation, an organization committed to both celebrating and building the capacity of teachers. “To build trust, you need to develop character. So, we believe in the power of virtues in order to build trust.”
With this in mind, the foundation determined it was important to engage education ministers, and ensure the Varkey Foundation’s local and regional education programs aligned with the broader objectives of the Ministers in Latin America who were setting policy.
“Ministers are the custodians of educational culture, so we thought it would be a powerful approach if we united in our efforts,” says Porres.
In addition to continuing to work with teachers, helping them with their own character development as well as how to integrate it into classrooms, Porres and his colleagues launched Comunidad Araucaria, a pioneering peer-support network akin to an education-focused Chatham House, which brings together Ministers and Secretaries of Education from across Latin America to exchange learnings and converse. The group’s first meeting, which took place in Washington, D.C. in January 2023, attracted 23 provincial and state officials from Uruguay, Ecuador, Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico. The agenda, though full, was well-rounded, and – in addition to expert-led exercises in character development – included workshops in leadership and innovation in public policy, visits to cultural and educational institutions, and meetings with global educational leaders and organizations.
“The human flourishing of the school team determines the school environment and culture,” says Porres, who adds that, so far, feedback from the ministers has been positive with many saying that they value the time to engage and learn in a relaxed environment – to date, the network has provided learning and knowledge exchange opportunities to more than 50 regional leaders in over 10 countries in the region.
“When we created the community, I was convinced the ministers would be too busy to fully participate, but it was the opposite. They were fully engaged, so happy to be together as ministers discussing topics.”
For the Inner Development Goals (IDGs), a non-profit open-sourced initiative committed to fostering inner capacities for the benefit of more sustainable futures (e.g., the UN Sustainable Development Goals), Inner Development is a pathway to Human Flourishing. Born from a collective frustration around lack of progress with the SDGs, the IDGs sought to identify which abilities, qualities or skills were needed to be developed among individuals, groups and organizations who were playing crucial roles in advancing the implementation of policies and, ultimately, cultivating sustainable and holistic leadership. The IDGs framework simplifies the complexity of Human Flourishing into five inner skills: Being, Thinking, Relating, Collaborating and Acting, under which specific character strengths such as empathy, courage, humility and integrity are specified.
“We don’t encourage choosing one or two skills,” says Åsa Jarskog, IDGs Director of Global Collaboration. “We need them all. Though, personally, I feel collaborating, which requires trust, and acting, which requires courage – [and, ultimately, trust] – are very important if we are to change the current direction.”
As with the Varkey Foundation, trust is integral to the work of the IDGs.
While critical thinking can be trained, individuals need to transfer their inner capacities to the organizations in which they work or serve in order to effect change. To achieve this, the IDGs launched a capacity-building program to create what it refers to as “minimal viable ecosystems” – a minimum critical mass of organizations from the public and private sectors, as well as academia and civil societies, committed to integrating and promoting inner development and flourishing in both their organizations, as well as society at large.
“Modern research shows that the inner abilities we require to complement and accelerate our external approaches can be developed,” explains Jarskog.
Selecting the right people, as well as the right organizations, is key, so those who want to participate in the training program – known as Global Leadership for Sustainable Development – need to provide a letter of support from their CEO; the idea being if an organization’s leadership is not on board, then the organization is not ready.
To date, the IDGs have catalyzed a “movement” – 600 hubs around the world made up of people who are keen to spread the word in their networks – though Jarskog believes real societal transformation will happen when they also reach the “non-converted” in both the public and private sectors.
“An important component of our work is to inspire decision-makers to integrate Inner Development (Human Flourishing) into public policies,” says Jarskog. “Since many government institutions have a high level of fear of making mistakes, we reassure them the IDGs could be a lab within their department or ministry, that it’s possible to prototype. Building trust with one key government ministry or agency and getting their buy-in has a positive knock-on effect.”
Collaboration, a critical component of Human Flourishing and something TWCF encourages, is also a hallmark of intra-organizational success. During the most recent Comunidad Araucaria meeting in Madrid in July (2024), a team from the IDGs ran a workshop for Education Ministers, while Andreas Schleicher, Director of Education and Skills at the OECD, gave a lecture about the future development of PISA in the context of OECD’s wider global platform for policymakers, researchers and educators that would include social and emotional skills.
“OECD countries are increasingly eager to move beyond conventional models and explore how education can be made more relevant in light of emerging challenges,” says Belfali. “Education for Human Flourishing encourages individuals not only to develop skills for their own success, but to have agency in addressing societal issues and building peaceful and sustainable worlds.”
Like the Varkey Foundation and the IDGs, OECD is actively supporting initiatives that rethink curricula and assessments, recognizing that assessing outdated competencies will hinder progress. As part of this effort, the OECD has developed new assessments to measure creativity, digital learning and global competence and, looking ahead, will include initiatives that assess how young people navigate media, critically evaluate and disseminate information and engage with AI.
Character development science offers a pathway to creating more ethical, empathetic and resilient individuals, who in turn can drive societal progress toward greater equity, collaboration and collective well-being. Engaging policymakers on the value of inner capacities – from embedding character education in schools and professional environments to encouraging civic responsibility and ethical decision-making that drive sustainable behaviors – can help shape agendas that support communities and societies to better navigate the complexities of the modern world.
