Our values

This core value is closely linked to how we treat each other and others.

Djapo works from respect and commitment to both people and the planet, from a sense of local and global connectedness, and as a prerequisite for a more inclusive and sustainable society.

Everyone has the right to a dignified life on a healthy planet, and this applies equally to future generations. We believe in treating everyone equally, while respecting differences. We actively pursue dialogue and mutual exchange, and are open to the attitudes and opinions of every individual. Only together, locally and globally, can we shape the future.

Djapo strives to be a good employer, making room for self-development and quality human relations among colleagues and with partners. Respect for differences is central for employees to feel good at Djapo, and realise their full potential.

Djapo is at the centre of a diverse society and seizes every opportunity to contribute to positive change. Based on our belief in the importance of (world) citizenship, we commit ourselves to actively contribute to political, economic, social and cultural life.

This core value is closely linked to the kind of world Djapo aspires to.

Djapo plays its part in the evolution towards a more just and sustainable society. Djapo recognises structural and systemic inequalities, locally and globally, and the need to leave no one behind in that evolution. It recognises the limits of our planet's carrying capacity, and the need to achieve a better relationship with our natural environment.

For Djapo, that evolution requires a new approach: we do not yet know that more just and sustainable society, but we are shaping it together. We do so together, step by step, with reflection, based on the need to understand complex sustainability issues well and learn to deal with them actionably.

For Djapo, sustainable development is:

• A balancing act between the ecological, social and economic while respecting human needs and the ecological carrying capacity of our planet
• A compass to shape systemic change towards a livable world, now and in the future, for ourselves and others, here and elsewhere on the planet
• A story that evolves based on advancing insights
• A challenge whose urgency demands individual and collective commitment
• A conversation that is taking place locally and globally in many places in diverse societies, and thus certainly needs to take place in classrooms and schools as well

This core value is closely linked to how we approach our work and the quality we strive for.

We base our choices and actions on study and consultation. In doing so, we strive to link practice, theory and policy.

We learn together with our partners. This presupposes a certain vulnerability. Collaboration is a continuous conversation with partners that can also sometimes be confrontational. We regularly question ourselves and also prompt others to reflect. In our opinion, this reflection is also essential for making good choices.

We want to inspire: we help others imagine alternatives by taking the first step ourselves, by pioneering, daring to jump and experiment. We therefore also stay 'on the edges'. Djapo is proactive in identifying and seizing opportunities. Our goal is continuous development, improvement and sustainable growth. We constantly strengthen our own skills, knowledge, alertness and motivation.

We are also a learning organisation when it comes to integrity. Integrity is not a 'top down' product. By keeping internal reflection on who we are and what we stand for alive, we also encourage participation and commitment, both from our own colleagues and from our partners.

This core value is closely linked to how we position ourselves in the environments in which we work.

We work on the basis of our pedagogical and science-based educational framework. We do not let our positions and ways of working depend on the whim of the day, but are guided by what effectively contributes to achieving our mission for children and young people. We look critically at our own actions, and make adjustments when necessary.

Our focus is on thinking for ourselves rather than teaching predetermined 'correct' behaviour or opinion. We do not bring a predetermined message or solution to children and young people, but encourage and equip them to develop it themselves. Djapo encourages (future) teachers and schools, local officials, policymakers and organisations to think consciously about sustainable choices/sustainable development themselves.