Born in the Philippines, Raven Frias has been involved for many years in education and social innovation within various organizations. In this capacity, Raven has forged many links with the Learning Planet Institute: she is a student in the AIRE « Master's program.« Learning Sciences »(Learning Sciences) and a member of the International Youth Council (Youth Council). To give the younger generation a voice and a decision-making role, the Learning Planet Institute asked her to be part of his Scientific Advisory Board. Meet a student with energy to spare.
It's a rainy afternoon in March. Raven Frias joins me in the lobby of the Learning Planet Institute and we sit down in one of the small basement lounges. Raven tells me her story. «I'm Filipino. I was born in Manila, and I grew up there.» From an early age, she was interested in education, and in the education of young children. «What probably made me want to work in this field was the situation in the Philippines. Access to education is very difficult, and students often leave school very early.» Not so for Raven, who considers herself privileged: «I'm one of the lucky ones. I was able to go to the University of the Philippines, the national university, and benefit from a scholarship throughout my schooling.»
At the University of the Philippines (University of the Philippines), Raven studies family life and child development (BS Family Life and Child Development). «I had already had the chance to work as a kindergarten teacher. I wanted to continue in that vein at university.» Because she is such a good student, Raven's family sees her as a doctor. «My family wanted me to become a doctor, but I already knew I wanted to be a teacher. It really was my dream job. Raven knows what she wants, and it works for her. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2022, with the « Gawad Tsanselor 2022 »Student Award·he most remarkable for the combined excellence of studies and public service.
If Raven is rewarded for her commitment to the public interest, it's because she doesn't just attend university and teach: she's also heavily involved in the community. « In 2021-2022, I was president of an NGO called « Family Life and Child Development Circle » («Family life and child development»). We were a team of around fifty young people, and we carried out the project. « Tahanan » (meaning “home” in Filipino) which we used to run learning sessions with the children. We read them stories, did activities and so on. »During the pandemic, Raven and her Tahanan project colleagues organize online gaming sessions every Saturday, covering topics such as mental health, hygiene and helping children to become self-sufficient. «We created songs for them to take care of themselves, explore their environment, or strengthen ties with their families... It was very interesting!». The Tahanan project wins several awards for social innovation and education.
In addition to her studies and her involvement with associations, Raven is keen to explore the world of educational research. «I wanted to meet people who, like me, wanted to make education more accessible, more fun, more engaging.», she explains. In the course of her internet research, Raven came across an appeal from the International Youth Council (Youth Council) launched by the Learning Planet Institute. The year is 2021. Raven applied and was selected as one of the first cohort of committed young people.
Visit Youth Council aims to put the spotlight on young people, so that they can play their part in strategic decision-making on key issues for tomorrow's world.
We were 18 young people interested in and committed to issues such as education, health, sustainability and identity. We came from all over the world. It's an incredible community. We met every month online - quite a challenge with the time difference!
Through the program, Raven has made lifelong friends. «I feel like wherever I go in the world, I'll feel at home. It's really great that we've stayed·e-s in contact after the program. I've already seen some of my friends·e-s du Youth Council : One of them came to visit me in the Philippines, and others welcomed me in France. We exchange ideas on our respective projects, but above all we've become true friends.·e-s. It's a family. I'm already looking forward to visiting the others!», she smiles.
Raven is very grateful for her experience with the Youth Council. «It was a great opportunity that showed us how much fun it can be to make a difference. We created a real community. I was part of the education group, there were 5 of us, and it was really nice to see that we were like-minded on different continents. We organized an online Christmas party with games for the Youth Council team, which was great fun. I love bringing people together!» Raven also had the opportunity to represent his home country at the’Hitachi Young Leaders Initiative in Singapore in summer 2022, bringing together young leaders from Southeast Asia to collaborate on innovation for well-being (Sustainable Development Objective 3). Thanks to Youth Council, Raven was able to intervene during the LearningPlanet Festival.
It was a very inspiring space. It's gratifying to see that we can go from a field activity to an event where we meet policy-makers and social entrepreneurs, and where we can take the floor to multiply our impact tenfold!
Since the start of the 2022 school year, Raven has been enrolled in the Master AIRE (Approches Interdisciplinaires de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement) in learning sciences, housed at the Learning Planet Institute, a diploma awarded by - led by Université Paris Cité. «I stayed in touch with the team coordinating and organizing the Youth Council. I had enjoyed the experience so much that I asked them what they were doing. The team urged me to apply, and I was accepted into the AIRE - Master's program. Learning Sciences while obtaining a mobility grant to study in Paris».». The student has the same impression as last year: «People come from all over and have different ages and experiences, so it's very enriching. The idea for me in doing this Master's is to meet different players in the education sector.» As if Raven hadn't already done so to some extent. But she continues to explore new horizons.
As part of her Master's degree, she turned to the private sector, working in the insurance sector for AXA at La Défense. «At first, I was a bit scared and above all, people were surprised that I'd tell them I was going to work for a big company, given my activist background!», she quips. But Raven was keen to try new things. «This is my first job in the private sector. I help manage a program for youth and women, called « Over 100 reasons to love the future ». We discuss trends on emerging topics, and I identify leaders from my generation, Generation Z, in particular. The idea is that this program can be implemented in different countries.»
Raven is part of AXA's sustainability department, and is learning a lot. «The private sector has a very particular approach and it's very interesting to have their perspective too. I'm looking at how we can build bridges between different sectors to federate in education: from the private sector to schools to NGOs.» Raven documents his time in the private sector, and compares it with his experience in the NGO sector.
I think the cultures are very different, and we have a lot to learn from both ways of operating. NGOs can't just operate on people's passion, and the private sector can't just operate on business. I'm working to find the middle ground that will unite them, which resonates with what the Learning Planet Institute is doing.
Raven's commitment knows no bounds. She also works as a freelance communicator for Curriculum for Life, a community of learners, educators and thought leaders who co-create life skills learning for 6-18 year olds. «We want to make education more holistic. Not just acquiring technical skills at school, but also human and life skills.» Raven is particularly sensitive to lifelong learning. «My father was studying electronics in the 1980s, but for his family's sake he had to give up university to work abroad as a caterer. Even without a degree, he's very skilled in mechanics, cooking and many other areas - he can fix anything and he's very good at business. But his skills are not recognized by society. It's a real shame. We want to remedy that.»
Does Raven have time for passions other than education, and activities that nourish her, beyond her commitments? Surprisingly, the answer is yes. She makes music and photography, a form of expression that she once again puts at the service of the cause that drives her. In 2021, one of her photos taken during one of her field projects was published in UNESCO's International Education Blog (World Education Blog). «The idea is always to make education more accessible by creating partnerships across sectors, generations and regions of the world. I need to understand how people perceive education. Learning doesn't just happen at school. You can learn from anyone!.
With the same philosophy in mind, the Learning Planet Institute asked Raven to be part of its Scientific Advisory Board, which she accepted. «At first, I was really scared. Maybe it was imposter syndrome. I was the youngest and the committee is made up of renowned professors and presidents of the world's leading universities. I was very impressed, but then I realized that they wanted to listen to young people.» In the end, she carries the voice of her generation, and sometimes acts as a translator of young people's language and desires. «It's a privilege to give our generation's perspective in discussions that will affect our future. We talk about different issues and projects, and I remember sharing the nuances or doubts of our generation, like how young people experience political unrest or why, some are afraid to have children because of the climate crisis.»
At the Learning Planet Institute, Raven not only met colleagues and friends·e·s for life during the Youth Council. She didn't just have exciting classes in her Master's program. She had life-changing conversations and lessons. «It's a dream to have a place where you can learn about anything, anytime, from anyone!, she enthuses. Raven doesn't yet know what she'll do next, but she wants to continue learning how to link regions, sectors and generations for lifelong learning. At 23, she's certainly not done committing herself to education with passion and determination.
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Find out more on International Youth Council :
The International Youth Council (or Youth Council) was created four months after the birth of the Youth Empowerment Circle (Youth Empowerment Circle), with the aim of truly entrusting the leadership and strategic decisions of the Circle to the young people themselves. The Council is made up of young people under the age of 25 from all over the world, and serves a six-month term. They meet regularly to determine the best approaches and opportunities for the Circle to address issues such as youth rights, health and well-being, and education.
Find out more about our governance and scientific advisory board
Discover other portraits of our community members
Find out more about the AIRE Master «Learning Sciences»
This publication is part of the UNESCO Chair in Learning Sciences«, established between UNESCO and Université Paris Cité, in partnership with the Learning Planet Institute. The ideas and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization.
A portrait by Marie Ollivier
Thanks to Raven Frias for answering our questions!
