[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 excited to be here because I've found these activities genuinely helpful in thinking about my own future. The world is changing faster than ever with AI, new technology, and changes in society, which means none of us can predict exactly what the future will look like. But what we can do is build the ability to find our own direction. When you have that ability, you're able to make decisions with greater confidence, recognise opportunities that align with who you are, adapt when plans change, and keep moving towards a future that feels meaningful to you.
Here's how it's going to go. You'll pick the one future that excites you most, 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 written declaration and a first step you can actually take this week.
I'm not here to tell you what your future should look like or what career you should choose. I'm here to create a space for you to discover what matters to you and help you build the ability to navigate whatever future comes your way. Let's begin."
[Optional: if it feels natural to you, share a small personal example of your own uncertainty at their age, e.g. "When I was your age, I thought I'd definitely become ___. Life didn't go exactly that way, but I'm glad I started somewhere." Keep it in your own words.]
Mandatory · 10–15 min
[The mechanic: 1. Hand out the worksheet and a pen to each participant. 2. Give everyone a moment to read through the grid on their own. 3. Everyone ticks the ONE box that excites them most, at the same time, 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. Don't worry about whether it feels realistic today, choose what excites you if nothing was stopping you. Tick the ONE box that excites you most. There's no wrong answer, and it's okay if someone else picks the same box as you."
"Once you've picked your box, write your answer to this: if you really lived this, what would your life look like?"
[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 out loud and write it up on the Group Dream Board as they do. For anyone who prefers not to share with the whole group, quietly ask them for a short version you can write up instead. If writing feels like "school" to some participants, offer an alternative: ask them to show their excitement from 1 to 5 with their fingers, or point to the corner of the room that matches how they feel.]
[If someone freezes or says they don't know:] "You can also just write one word that comes to mind."
"You may not know exactly what your future looks like yet. But knowing what excites you gives you something to steer by. Plans can change, but what matters to you can still guide your next step.
Whenever you feel stuck on a decision, a subject, a CCA, a part-time job, ask yourself which box on your grid it moves you toward. If it doesn't move you toward any of them, that's useful information too. Revisit your ticked box 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 direction is often more valuable than having every step planned out, and telling one person close to you what you picked makes it more real."
"If you told one person close to you what you picked today, what do you think they'd say?"
[Optional. Use your judgment for your group, but it's worth considering after this first round.]
"Some of us have had more opportunities than others. Some of us have had to think about money, family responsibilities, or other challenges much earlier than most people. Those experiences are real, and they can make dreaming feel harder. Today isn't about pretending those challenges don't exist. It's about giving yourself permission to imagine what matters to you before worrying about how you'll get there."
[Only if you're running Round 2.]
"Something interesting just happened. Even though everyone picked 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 at your age 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. Go around the group in order. On each turn, the participant picks ONE Resource Card and chooses which dream, not their own, it goes to. 3. They write the card on a post-it and say why out loud. 4. Stick the post-it next to that dream. 5. Repeat the go-around 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. Finish this sentence out loud: 'I think this will help because...'"
"We'll keep going around so that everyone's dream gets the same number of cards."
[If one person keeps going before others have had a turn:] "Let's hear from someone who hasn't gone yet."
"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 who believes in you, a teacher who checks in, and say thank you to them this week. If you're ever stuck on your own dream, ask someone who knows you well what strength they'd give it.
You don't have to figure everything out alone. Every dream needs different kinds of support, and learning to receive that support is part of building your future."
"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
[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 fun.]
"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, ask '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 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.]
"Before we write 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 write down one action you'll take this week."
[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 declaration somewhere you'll actually see it, your phone lock screen, a mirror, a notebook cover, not just on the worksheet. Break your first action this week into something small enough to do in under 15 minutes. Small and done beats big and delayed.
A direction only becomes real once you take a first step. At the end of each week, reread your declaration and ask 'did I move toward this, even a little?' That's the whole habit, repeated."
"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. You don't need a big speech, a simple and sincere thank you lands better than a long one.]