In Caribbean nations such as Jamaica, the issue of antisocial and violent behaviour in schools is an increasing source of concern and a critical challenge. Given the seriousness of the problem, the purpose of this paper is to highlight the Change from Within programme, an intervention to address violence and anti-social behaviours within Jamaican schools, and one whose methodology supports leadership development amongst all school stakeholders. The role of leadership in shaping school culture is widely acknowledged.

As the global appeal of the sustainable development discourse increased from the mid-1980s onwards, environmental education became unsurprisingly linked with this concept, making sustainable development a principal aim of many environmental education initiatives on global, regional, and national agendas. Notwithstanding the political attractiveness of the discourse, the concept is a highly ambiguous and contested one. This renders engagement with individuals'understandings of sustainability, along with underlying concepts such as nature and the environment, an imperative.

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) involves the enhancement of knowledge, development of skills, clarification of values and attitudes, and promotion of behaviour for the sustainability of the Earth’s social, economic, and natural systems. Ultimately, ESD is about values, with respect for self, others, and the natural world centralized to ensure equity within and between generations and care for the natural world upon which humankind depends.

Violence and indiscipline within schools is a serious problem which can undermine students’ intellectual, social, and moral development. Principal leadership within schools is a significant factor in changing school culture, including a culture of violence and indiscipline. In Jamaica, the Change from Within (CfW) programme – an intervention to address violence and anti-social behaviours within schools – supports capacity-building and leadership development among principals.