"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one, wild and precious life?" 

The question asked by Mary Oliver in her poem "The Summer Day" is relevant for all young people searching for their own path, vocation and way of life. When young people choose their job or higher education, their decisions are rarely based on clarity about their vocation, but rather influenced by short-term interests, momentary trends, the opinions of parents and peers.

 

Formal education lacks sufficient and in-depth support for young people to find out what they are interested in, passionate about and good at. Very few youth are conscious about what they really want to do, what their talents are and how they can use their potential to address local and global challenges. 

 

How can young people find their authentic vacation and live their own life in a socially and environmentally sustainable way within the context of the many, often overwhelming socio-economic challenges they are facing in the 21st century? And how can we as youth workers, mentors and educators support them on their quest for a sustainable profession and for meaningful engagement in the world?

 

The objective is that young people are empowered on local and regional levels to find a vocation in line with their values, dreams and talents and to become initiators of sustainable projects, which not only support them in sustaining themselves but also contribute to the creation of a democratic, inclusive, just, sustainable and creative society. 

(by One Wild Life-Project)