[Gather the group. Wait until you have most people's attention before starting.]
"Hi everyone, I'm [your name], and I'll be facilitating today's session.
Before we dive in, here's what today actually is. The next four rounds are about one thing: giving yourself permission to imagine a future you haven't let yourself consider yet.
I'm really glad to be here because I've found these activities genuinely helpful in thinking about my own future too. None of us can know exactly what the years ahead will hold, but what we can do is build the ability to find our own direction. When you build that ability, you become better at making choices, recognising opportunities, adapting when things change, and finding meaningful ways to move towards a future that matters to you.
Here's how it's going to go. You'll choose the one future that excites you most, in whatever way works for you, no overthinking, no worrying yet about whether it's realistic. You'll help each other's dreams along, because you don't have to figure your future out alone. You'll connect all of our dreams into one shared story, because your direction is never only about you. And at the end, you'll walk away with something concrete: a declaration and a first step you can actually take this week.
I'm not here to tell you what your future should look like. I'm here to create a space for you to discover what matters to you, in whatever way works best for you. Let's begin."
[Optional: if it feels natural to you, share a small personal example of your own uncertainty about the future. Keep it in your own words.]
Mandatory · 10–15 min
[The mechanic: 1. Hand out the worksheet and a pen, or the participant's preferred communication tool. 2. Read through the grid out loud together as well as showing it, in case reading independently is difficult for some participants. 3. Everyone chooses the ONE option that excites them most, at their own pace, however works for them: tick it, circle it, point to it, or tell you. 4. Every participant's dream needs to end up on the Group Dream Board under their name, since Round 2 depends on it.]
"Look at the grid in front of you. Don't worry about whether it feels realistic today, choose what excites you if nothing was stopping you. Choose the ONE option that excites you most, however works for you: tick it, circle it, point to it, or tell me. There's no wrong answer, and it's okay if someone else picks the same one as you."
"Once you've chosen, share your answer in whatever way works best for you: if you really lived this, what would be different about your life?"
[Before anyone shares out loud:] "Some people dream about changing the world. Some dream about taking care of family. Some dream about having peace. All of these count, no dream is too big or too small."
[Invite volunteers to share and write it up on the Group Dream Board as they do. For anyone who prefers not to share, or who communicates differently, quietly ask them, or their support worker with permission, for a short version you can write up instead. If writing or speaking is difficult, participants can point, draw, dictate their ideas, use pictures, or tell a facilitator what they'd like recorded. You can also offer a verbal 1-to-5 excitement scale, or invite a yes/no in whatever way they normally indicate.]
"You may not know exactly what your future looks like yet. But knowing what excites you gives you something to steer by. Things can change, but what matters to you can still guide your next step.
Whenever you feel unsure about a decision, learning a new skill, joining a community activity, or finding meaningful work, ask yourself which option on your grid it moves you toward. If it doesn't move you toward any of them, that's useful information too. Revisit your choice once a month, if it still excites you, keep going, if it doesn't, that's normal, pick a new one.
You don't need to know your entire future today. Having a sense of what you're moving towards is often more valuable than having every step planned out, and telling someone close to you what you chose makes it more real."
"If you told one person close to you what you chose today, what do you think they'd say?"
[Optional. Use your judgment for your group, but it's worth considering after this first round.]
"Everyone starts from a different place. Some people face barriers because of disability, health, money, family responsibilities, accessibility, or other life circumstances. Those experiences are real. Today's session isn't about pretending those barriers don't exist. It's about discovering what matters to you and exploring the possibilities available to you."
[Only if you're running Round 2.]
"Something interesting just happened. Even though everyone chose something different, every single person here had something that excited them. A dream doesn't become stronger because it's bigger. It becomes stronger because someone believes in it. Let's see what happens when we help each other.
Many people didn't know exactly where they were going either. What made the difference wasn't having the perfect dream, it was taking one small step, meeting people who believed in them, and being willing to keep learning. You don't need the perfect dream today. You just need a starting point."
Optional · 10 min
[Reference only.] Encourager (gives encouragement) · Connector (opens doors, brings people together) · Planner (turns big dreams into small steps) · Idea Generator (finds possibilities others overlook) · Listener (helps people feel heard) · Doer (turns intentions into actions)
[The mechanic: 1. Everyone's dream is already on the Group Dream Board from Round 1. 2. Invite each participant in turn. On each turn, they pick ONE Resource Card and choose which dream, not their own, it goes to. 3. They record the card in whatever format works best for them: writing, symbols, stickers, facilitator support, or AAC, then share why. 4. Place the card next to that dream. 5. Repeat so every dream ends up with the same number of cards.]
"Now we're going to help each other's dreams. When it's your turn, pick a Resource Card and give it to someone else's dream, not your own. Share why, in whatever way works for you: 'I think this will help because...'"
"We'll keep going around so that everyone's dream gets the same number of cards."
"Other people can see strengths in you that help your dream happen, even ones you don't notice in yourself. You're not building your future alone.
Notice who in your life already gives you 'Resource Cards' without knowing it, a friend, a family member, a support worker who checks in, and thank them this week. When someone shares something they're working toward, try giving them one specific strength you see in them, the same way this round worked.
You don't have to figure everything out alone. Every dream needs different kinds of support, it's about recognising what resources, people, and strengths will help you move forward."
"Which Resource Card would you want someone to give your dream right now, and why?"
[Only if you're running Round 3.]
"Look at your dream now. A few minutes ago it was just your idea. Now other people have already added things you didn't think about. Dreams rarely grow because of one person, they grow because different people contribute different things. So let's imagine what happens when all of our dreams start helping each other."
Optional · 10–15 min
[This round asks for abstract, multi-step thinking. Depending on your group, feel free to simplify: instead of connecting every dream into one big story, you can ask "which two dreams could help each other?" as a smaller, more concrete task. Use your judgment, there's no requirement to run the full version.]
[Reference only. Pick one, a simplified version, or let the group vote.]
[Look at all the dreams on the board together. Whichever scenario you pick, every dream needs to show up somewhere in the story. It doesn't need to make perfect sense. It needs to be fun. Participants can contribute by speaking, drawing, pointing, choosing pictures, or adding one idea at a time.]
"Now we're going to connect all of our dreams into one story. It doesn't need to be realistic, it needs to be creative. Every dream needs to show up somewhere. It's okay not to know yet, there's no one right way to get there."
[If the group gets stuck, use a sentence starter:]
"Your dream doesn't need one fixed path. Seeing how it connects to other people's dreams shows there's more than one way to get there. If one way closes, another can open.
When your plan hits a wall, try asking 'whose dream or plan could connect with mine here?' instead of assuming there's only one path forward. Look for one person this month whose goals overlap with yours, even a little, and find one small way to team up.
Your direction isn't only about what you achieve for yourself. Your dreams can create opportunities for others, just as theirs can create opportunities for you."
"Which other person's dream did yours end up connected to, and how?"
"We've imagined lots of possibilities today. Some of them might happen. Some might change. That's okay. The important thing isn't predicting your future, it's deciding what kind of future you're willing to move toward. Before we go, let's choose one small step."
Mandatory · 10 min
[Hand out the worksheet and a pen, or the participant's preferred communication tool. Read the questions below out loud, together, one at a time, before anyone starts. Don't jump straight to the big question, build up to it. Give everyone quiet time and enough processing time.]
"Before we finish anything, let's answer a few questions together, starting simple. First: what matters to you?"
"Next: what kind of person do you hope to become?"
"On your worksheet, finish this sentence: something I'm working toward is ___."
"Then choose one action you'll take this week. You can write it, draw it, say it, or ask someone to help record it."
[Before they write:] "You don't have to know your whole future today. If you leave today with one clearer idea than when you came in, that's already progress."
"Put your reminder somewhere you'll notice it, your phone, a picture board, a calendar, a favourite notebook, or somewhere at home where you'll see it. Break your first action this week into something small enough to do in under 15 minutes.
A direction only becomes real once you take a first step. Regularly asking yourself what matters and what your next step is helps you stay true to yourself, whatever the future brings."
"Looking at everything you imagined today, what's the one step you're actually going to take this week?"
[Close warmly. Thank the group for their honesty and effort today. A simple and sincere thank you lands better than a long speech.]