[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.
Every stage of life brings new possibilities. Retirement, becoming grandparents, volunteering, learning new skills, making new friends, caring for loved ones, and taking better care of ourselves all bring opportunities to discover new directions.
Today isn't about looking back at what you've already done. It's about looking ahead at what still matters to you. This isn't about starting over. You've already lived a rich life. Today is about asking what kind of next chapter you still want to create, growth, purpose, relationships, contribution, and joy can continue at every stage of life.
Here's how it's going to go. You'll choose the one picture or idea that speaks to you most about the years ahead, no overthinking. You'll help each other's dreams along, because you don't have to figure this 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 the years ahead should look like. I'm here to create a space for all of us to explore what still matters to 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 · 15–20 min
[The mechanic: 1. Hand out the large-print worksheet and a pen to each participant. 2. Read through the grid out loud together, slowly, since some participants may not read comfortably on their own. 3. Everyone chooses the picture or idea that speaks to them most, at their own pace, no turn order. 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. Choose the picture or idea that speaks to you most. There's no wrong answer, and it's okay if someone else picks the same one as you."
"Once you've chosen, think about this: if this became part of your life, what would be different?"
[Before anyone shares out loud:] "Some people care most about family. Some about health. Some about learning something new, or helping others. All of these matter, there's no right answer here."
[Invite volunteers to share and write it up on the Group Dream Board as they do. For anyone who prefers not to share, quietly ask them for a short version you can write up instead. If writing feels difficult, participants can point, describe it aloud, or ask someone at their table to write for them. Keep the grid visual where possible, pictures carry more than words for many participants, especially those less comfortable in English.]
[If someone seems unsure or takes a while to answer, that's normal. Give them time, don't rush the silence.]
"You may not know exactly what the years ahead look like. But knowing what matters to you gives you something to steer by. Things can change, but what matters to you can still guide your next step.
Whenever you're deciding how to spend your time, finding meaningful activities, staying active, or learning something new, ask which option on your grid it moves you toward. Revisit your choice from time to time. If it still matters to you, keep going. If something else matters more now, that's fine too, dreams can update.
Having a sense of what you're moving towards, even loosely, is often more valuable than having every step planned out. Tell someone close to you what you chose, saying it out loud makes it easier to act on."
"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.]
"Every person has lived a different life. Some have faced illness. Some have cared for family members. Some have experienced loss. Some have had many opportunities, while others have had fewer. Today is about looking at what is still possible from where you are today."
[Only if you're running Round 2.]
"Something interesting just happened. Even though everyone chose something different, every single person here had something that mattered to 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.
You've already built a rich life, with people who believed in you along the way. That doesn't stop now. You don't need everything figured out today. You just need a next step."
Optional · 15 min
[Reference only.] Encourager (gives encouragement) · Problem Solver (turns big dreams into small steps) · Listener (helps people feel heard and understood) · Teacher (passes on knowledge and experience) · Connector (opens doors and brings people together) · Helper (turns good 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 Support Card and choose which dream, not their own, it goes to. 3. They write, or tell a facilitator to write, the card on a post-it, then share why out loud. 4. Stick the post-it next to that dream. 5. Repeat if the group is small.]
"Now we're going to help each other's dreams. When it's your turn, pick a Support Card and give it to someone else's dream, not your own. Tell them why: 'I think this will help because...'"
"We'll keep going around so that everyone's dream gets support."
"Other people can see strengths in you that help your dream happen, even ones you don't notice in yourself. You're not building this alone.
Notice who already supports you without being asked, family, friends, neighbours, and thank them this week. When someone shares what 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 who and what can help you move forward."
"Which Support 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 · 15–20 min
[Reference only. Pick one, 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 enjoyable.]
"Now we're going to connect all of our dreams into one story. It doesn't need to be realistic, it just needs to bring us together. Every dream needs to show up somewhere. It's okay not to know exactly how, 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 who else's dream or situation might connect with yours. Look for one person whose goals overlap with yours, even a little, and find a small way to support each other.
Your years ahead are connected to other people. This isn't only about what you achieve for yourself, your experience can create opportunities for others, just as theirs can 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 exactly what lies ahead, it's deciding what kind of life you're willing to keep building. Before we go, let's choose one small step."
Mandatory · 15 min
[Hand out the worksheet and a pen to each participant. Read the questions below out loud, together, one at a time, before anyone starts writing. Don't jump straight to the big question, build up to it. Give everyone quiet time, do not rush this part.]
"Before we write anything, let's answer a few questions together, starting simple. First: what matters to you?"
"Next: what kind of life do you want to keep building? Or, what do you want people to remember about you?"
"On your worksheet, finish this sentence: one thing that matters to me now is ___."
"Then write down one action you'll take this week."
[Before they write:] "You don't have to have the years ahead all figured out today. If you leave today with one clearer idea than when you came in, that's already meaningful."
"Put your reminder somewhere realistic, your calendar, the refrigerator, a family photo, your diary, near the kettle, or next to your medication. Keep this action small enough to do in under 15 minutes.
What matters to you may shift over time, but regularly asking yourself what still matters, and what your next step is, helps you stay true to yourself, whatever the years ahead bring."
"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.]