Purposeful Education

Gen P creating a Purposeful Future




In an age of accelerating change and deepening complexity, the question is no longer whether we need change - but what kind of future we are building. At the heart of this question lies a growing movement built not on trends or technologies, but on intention: Purpose, and building 'Purpose' into our DNA. A Purposeful Future isn’t a utopia; it’s a commitment. It is the practical vision of a society in which individuals live, learn, and lead with clarity, direction, and meaning. A Purposeful Britain and a Purposeful World.


Britain is already acting. A purpose-driven movement has been quietly building (e.g. BSI PAS808) and a new approach to governance is about to launch in over 170 countries (e.g. ISO37011 - Purpose-Driven Organizations). They are also relevant to government (Purpose Driven Government) and education establishments too (Purpose-Driven Education).


Forward-thinking organisations are not only clear in Purpose, they are also building it into their DNA too - into every decision they make and every action they take (i.e. being 'Purposeful' - full of 'Purpose').


At the centre of this movement is a purposeful shift, a shift towards purposeful governance, purposeful education, purposeful learning, and purposeful people/citizens busy shaping the future - purposeful educators, purposeful learners, purposeful practitioners, purposeful leaders and a network of changemakers known as 'Gen P' (Generation Purpose).


Purposeful Education: Beyond Exams, Toward Impact and Flourishing


Traditional education has too often prized grades over purpose, rewarding memorising facts while neglecting the deeper "why" behind learning. But a purposeful education flips that script. It equips young people not just to succeed — but to belong and flourish. It helps them find their voice, their values, and their vision for contributing to something greater than themselves.


Purposeful education is grounded in relevance. It connects learning with lived experience, tying curriculum to the social, environmental, and economic challenges that learners see around them. It sparks not only careers, but callings — asking: What are you good at? What do you care about? And how can you use both to help others? Ikigai.


Purposeful Learning: Lifelong, Memorable, and Meaningful


Learning is not confined to classrooms or timelines. Purposeful learning is dynamic, personal, and lifelong. It empowers individuals to ask not just what they’re learning, but why they’re learning it. Whether it's a young student developing emotional intelligence through storytelling, solving complex problems using critical thinking, systems thinking, and design thinking, or an adult re-skilling to address climate change and an ever growing AI world, purposeful learning is guided by intention and impact.


This kind of learning is adaptive. It recognizes that purpose evolves over time, and that meaningful education is about becoming — not simply knowing. It fosters curiosity, resilience, and the ability to navigate ambiguity — the traits most needed for an uncertain but opportunity-rich future.


Purposeful Educators and Coaches: Guides for the Journey


In a purposeful future, educators are more than instructors — they are catalysts. Purposeful educators and coaches serve as trusted guides, mentors, and partners. They nurture not just intellect, but identity. They listen deeply. They connect learning to lives. And most importantly, they help learners uncover their own sense of purpose, while holding space for its exploration.


Whether in schools, universities, or community spaces, purposeful educators don’t just teach content - they model purpose in action. They show that living with intention is a journey, not a destination. Their influence ripples outward, not only shaping students but also reshaping society.


Purposeful Learners → Purposeful Citizens → A Purposeful Britain


The impact of purposeful learning does not end with the individual. When learners are encouraged to explore their purpose, they begin to see themselves as citizens — active participants in shaping their communities, country, and world. They are more likely to volunteer, vote, lead, and launch. They are more likely to innovate responsibly, collaborate generously, and act with empathy.


This is how a Purposeful Britain is born: not from policy alone, but from people. A nation of purposeful learners becomes a nation of purposeful citizens. And a nation of purposeful citizens becomes a society defined not just by GDP, but by contribution, cohesion, and conscience.


Gen P: A Movement for Now — and for What’s Next


Enter Gen P — short for Generation Purpose. This is not an age group, but a mindset. A growing cross-generatrional network and movement of purposeful people, educators, changemakers, and storytellers who believe that purpose is not a luxury — it's a necessity.


Gen P connects purpose-driven individuals through the power of Purposeful Storytelling. These stories are not polished narratives of perfection, but authentic accounts of learning, failing, growing, and impacting. They tell of young people leading climate action in their communities, of educators rewriting the script on what learning can be, and of citizens turning adversity into advocacy.


By elevating these voices, Gen P builds a collective identity rooted in hope, action, and shared meaning. It’s a beacon for those who might feel lost in a fast-moving world — and a map for those looking to make their mark.


Toward a Purposeful Future


The future we imagine will not arrive by accident. It will be built — one learner, one educator, one story at a time. A Purposeful Future is within reach if we choose to design it intentionally.


That future is more than possible — it is already beginning. In classrooms, in communities, and across the Gen P network, people are stepping up to create a world where purpose drives progress. Where learning means more than achievement — it means alignment. And where being human is not about consuming more, but contributing more.


The path is clear. The question is not can we build a Purposeful Future, but will we?


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Q: Any good news?

A: Yes, it isn't a poly crisis.


Q: Okay, what is it then?

A:  A meta crisis.


Q: Is it a perma crisis too?

A: No, fortunately not. This meta crisis is solvable.


Q: Are we starting to solve it?

A: Yes, we are busy addressing it.


Q: How?

A: We have looked into the common (systemic) causes of all the crises, we've found the common causes, and are putting in place plans to address them.


Q:  Tell me more ....


A:  Well, it will be little surprise to the world that that one root cause is that humanity has become increasingly fixated on fame and fortune, money and likes, and in doing so has become increasingly disconnected from what it means to be human.


Mark Carney highlighted this in his landmark Reith Lecture, where he referred to numerous learned philosophers and economists, and explained how every crisis the world has ever faced is down to one cause - having only one measure of value, 'money'. He pointed out how this has 'served us badly in the past, and will not serve us in the future', and went on to say 'we need to move to a world where values are valued'.


We fully agree with Mark Carney. Indeed, this is why the Good Turns Foundation's vision is 'to see a world where values are valued', and is why it's introducing new measures of value (eg Good Points), valuing what we as humans volunteer to do for others, our communities, and the environment.


Q: That's brilliant! What else has the Good Turns Foundation found?


A: Well, by 'monetising attention', social media is taking our time/energy away from 'being human' in the pursuit of attention & social media 'likes'. In our search for 'meaning' we instead find comparison/expectation. In our search for 'connection' we find polarisation/discourse. In our search for 'belonging' we frequent virtual worlds/lives. Paradoxically, in this hyper-connected technological world we have never been more disconnected. Technology is increasingly dehumanising us all and classifying our minds/thoughts/attention as commodities. Learned psyschologists, neuroscientists, and philosphers, are all raising the alarm, stating humanity is now systematically destroying itself (and at an ever increasing rate). Fundamentally humanity is suffering a crisis of belonging, connection, meaning, and purpose (i.e. what it means to be human). Without addressing this all crises will continue to worsen. Humankind is fundamentally a social animal. It's within our DNA. It's within us from the day we are born. It's within our souls. It's within us always, unless our mind is clouded by fear (e.g. for food, warmth, shelter, safety) or anger (e.g. created by injustice, misinformation, disinformation, polarisation, populism).


Q:  Wow, that's deeply insightful. So what are you planning to do to address this crisis of meaning, purpose, connection, and belonging?


A:  Well we're going back to basics (Humanity 101) and planning lots of purposeful things! Indeed this is what a Purposeful Britain (and Purposeful World) is all about! Meaning is derived from purpose. Belonging strengthens purpose. Purpose creates belonging. Purpose fosters connection. Connections accelerate Purpose. Given this, our plans include creating a progressive movement away from Gen ME (Individualism), and a pathway towards Gen WE (Citizen/Society) and Gen P  - a network/collective of purposeful citizens, practitioners, learners & leaders. A place of belonging and of collective endeavour. A place where connections are made and a thriving, flourishing, purposeful future is created. More groups/organisations see this crisis of meaning/belonging. Collectively we are acting, and there's lots more to come!


Q:  Wow, that's amazing and it's exactly what's needed! Can I be part of it!

A:  Of course, and welcome to the movement!


The work is helping to create the necessary foundations for a collaborative/purposeful future, focused on Rebooting Britain and creating a Purposeful Britain. A shift away from individual self-interest (Gen ME) to citizenship (Gen WE) and beyond (Gen P). A purposeful world where values are valued. An eco-centric, sustainable, thriving world where humanity flourishes (Eudaimonia/Ikigai).



David Clift


Purposeful Ambassador®

Founder, Good Turns & Purposeful Enterprises

Co-developer of Purposeful Britain and a Purposeful World

 


Purposeful Britain™, Purposeful World™, Gen P™, Purposeful Ambassador™, Purposeful Practitioners™, Purposeful Citizens™, Purposeful Leaders™, Purposeful Learners™, Purposeful Wellbeing™, Purposeful Economics™, Purposeful Storytelling™, Purposeful News™, Purposeful Education™, Purposeful Government™, Gen Me to Gen We™, Good Points™, Good Turns™ etc are all recognised/registered trademarks.



© Good Turns Foundation 2025  [GTF20052025_01]