This year’s LIT program started with an orientation and a goal-setting workshop. At the orientation, this year’s members reconfirmed what the LIT program is about and what they can expect from it. At the goal-setting workshop, the LIT were asked to imagine themselves in a few years and their ideal self and living situation. They were then asked to set goals for things they can do this year, including time limits, to achieve their ideal self they imagined. It was a great practice for setting specific and realistic goals, and it was also a good opportunity to think about their future from a different perspective.

Two weeks after that was the first Back to Nature program of the fiscal year. At the annual Easter program in Sawai, the campers enjoyed playing team games that required some brainpower and games where they could run around as much as they wanted outside. The LITs supported all the activities throughout the day. They performed various tasks, such as preparing and cleaning up equipment for the games, demonstrating head counts and reflections, and managing lunch from receiving to distributing and cleaning up. They also had a few tasks that required making announcements to the participants. Some members have already been in the LIT program for two years, so they were able to allocate the tasks and time within the team very effectively, completing all tasks efficiently and without any problems.

This year, there are only three members, ranging from the first to the third year of high school. The member in her first-year high school is a Mirai no Mori veteran, having joined our programs as a camper since elementary school. Now joining as an LIT, she can see the program from a new perspective, contributing to the team and supporting campers. Some aspects of team management will be easier, but some tasks will be more difficult with a small team. There will be many new challenges for the new members, and also for the returning members who now have to be leaders themselves. We’re looking forward to seeing what experiences they will gain and what they will learn this year.