Thanks to the support of many people, we were able to hold our annual rafting program for graduates and LITs, this time including two workshops. On the last weekend of September, just as the summer heat had finally begun to ease, six graduates and two LITs gathered in Mitake. 

On Saturday morning, we got ready as soon as we arrived and headed straight to the river. This year, at the request of the graduates, some of us were also able to try one-person packrafts. With guides who have known many of the participants since their camper or LIT days, we paddled through the rapids, jumped off rocks, and swam with the current, enjoying the river to the fullest. 

In the afternoon, we had a resilience workshop led by a staff member who has coaching experience and has been involved in our programs for many years. Reflecting on the morning’s experiences and recent events, participants focused on the ups and downs of their emotions and explored them one-on-one with the staff, thinking about why they felt low and how they were able to bounce back. Putting those thoughts into words led to many new insights. They then dug deeper into their thought patterns and situations, considering how they could respond when feeling down and how to develop their own strategies. 

On Sunday, employees from Oracle, who have supported Mirai no Mori in various ways over the years, came all the way to Mitake and held a workshop on goal achievement. The session began with self-reflection, where participants identified their personal values and strengths through examples and games, then shared them with the group. 

After lunch, they moved on to the main part of the workshop. Everyone took time to rethink their current goals, then together with the Oracle volunteers, they explored their envisioned goals and the small first steps they could take toward them. As they talked, some participants added new goals or adjusted their existing ones. It was a great opportunity for them to reorganize their thoughts. ​

This program also brought many staff and members back together after a long time. Through rafting, a BBQ dinner, and so many fun moments, they were able to reconnect and deepen their relationships. In the workshops, they received tips and new perspectives from many people and learned ways of thinking that will help them move toward their goals. It also gave them a chance to step away from daily tasks for a while and reflect on themselves and the future they’re heading toward. 

“Through talking with different people in this workshop, I realized that even though it’s my own life, I hadn’t been fully seeing the things around me as my own responsibility. There are still so many things I don’t know or can’t do on my own, so I’d like to start by learning how to organize my thoughts using programs like these and other resources.” by LIT

“I started university in April and have finally gotten a bit used to living on my own. So the timing was perfect, and I’m really glad I had the chance to rethink and reaffirm my goals. Talking with various people gave me motivation, and now I have clearer steps I can take- and will take- toward my goals.” by graduate

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone at Oracle for providing such valuable learning opportunities.