Responding to the request of two third-year university students who are actively utilizing Mirai no Mori’s network and are currently job hunting, we held another session on finding one’s strengths with the cooperation of Morgan Stanley. In addition, one of the graduates who is about to change jobs also participated, and we talked about their concerns and questions in a friendly atmosphere.

We also had a special opportunity to meet the president of Morgan Stanley, Mr. Tamura, so show our deepest gratitude for their continued support. All three of the graduates were very nervous when they shared their comments about Mirai no Mori experiences, but he was very friendly.

“What I learned from my Mirai no Mori experience is the leadership I gained from the Leader in Training (LIT) program that I participated for three years. In my third year of high school, I stepped up to take on the role of a leader. At first I tried to follow the leadership style of the previous leaders, but it was difficult, and through the program I realized that it was important to take on leadership that suited me.

I am also grateful that through the graduate program, I am able to get together with other Mirai no Mori members and supporters even after leaving the care and receive advice from various role models to help me think about things from different perspectives. The Mirai no Mori space has also become one of the places where we feel at home.”

“I really learned a lot by joining outdoors activities with a diverse group of people at Mirai no Mori. The opportunity to learn about teamwork, communication, and my own strengths and weaknesses with the members of the Leader in Training program was an experience that I could not have had without Mirai no Mori. Through the outdoor experience, I also realized that being in nature is a stress reliever that allows me to reflect on myself and be positive, and even after graduation I still make time to spend time in nature on a personal basis.

Mirai no Mori has always been there to watch over me. I would like to continue to participate in Mirai no Mori activities, work with children from care homes, and help them in many other ways!”

“I used to not take much initiative on my own, but through my experience at Mirai-no-Mori, I learned that nothing starts or makes sense unless ”I” take action. Also, through the Leader in Training and graduates program, I have learned that people are connected through relationships.”

Then we also had a session with one of the graduates who wanted to know more about bank. Thanks to the support from Morgan Stanley, she was able to meet 5 volunteers who shared their experiences and advices.

Voices of Graduates 

“After talking to the volunteers and answering their questions, I realized that I actually have something that I care about, and that I am interested in pursuing. I could not have realized this on my own, so I would like to use this as a basis for finding my strengths and interests for job hunting.”

“When I asked the volunteers what they thought was important to be a trustworthy person, they all said “a person who keeps his/her word,” which struck me as someone who is often late. I realized that even though it is something obvious, it is still very important. I was also nervous to talk with the president of such a large and trusted company, but it was a very special opportunity, and it was a very valuable experience!”

Voices of Volunteer

“I see growth in graduates every time I meet them. It’s amazing to see how capable they are now to ask questions, and share their opinions.”

Also with another graduate who is considering a career change, in addition to checking in via ZOOM, we also spoke in person over lunch. He is searching for ideas and methods to rebuild his life back after leaving the school and job. We hope he will continue to utilize Mirai no Mori as a network where he can reach out any time.