| PHILOSOPHY EMPOWERING YOUTH TO TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES. | |
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"It's Your Ship": Expect a life changing opportunity. Can you imagine a greater adventure for a young person than sailing an authentic open-deck Viking ship along the majestic coast of Puget Sound and living in the land of whales, sea lions, dolphins, bald eagles, and snow-capped mountains? Sailing on the Viking ship offers the perfect blend of fun, adventure, challenge, community, friendship, and support. It is an opportunity to live fully in the present, to learn to handle conflict, to tune in to and rely on one's inner voice. Education: Onboard ship, we are committed to young people learning about the relationship between personal power and responsibility. From the moment they step on board, they begin working toward understanding, through experience, the responsibility and power in the words, "It's your ship." Youth on board a WILD expedition learn to run the ship, while also learning that everyone earns their power through tests of responsibility. A WILD expedition will teach, and expect, youth to: • stay alert on night anchor watch • keep the ship and gear "shipshape" • follow through on port or starboard team assignments • be good shipmates • navigate • sail the ship • learn seamanship • cook and clean up after meals • earn the trust of their shipmates • Get ASTA (American Sail Training Association) certified When a participant is having a challenge, there are mentors beside to help. When they succeed, there is a community to celebrate and honor them. Interdependence: Like life on planet earth, life onboard ship is a closed-loop system that teaches us about our impact on the environment. What do we do with our waste, our trash, and what impact does this have? How do we make decisions and live in a balanced way? When we catch a large salmon on an expedition, there is often a feeling of power that comes with that experience. After the excitement of landing a big one, comes the responsibility of taking the life of the fish in of respectful way, of cleaning it, cooking it, and disposing what isn't used. This may seem like a simple task, but when done with intention, it teaches respect for the fish and the ecological system that allows the fish (and us) to survive and prosper. It teaches self sufficiency; it teaches connection to the sea. And it is a perfect illustration of interdependence, working together in order to live and thrive. Everything on board the ship has this kind of opportunity. Man-overboard drills teach that our lives are interdependent. Sailing the ship teaches communication, team work, leadership, physics, discernment, and patience. A WILD expedition is a metaphor for life's never ending "inner" journey. The expedition, filled with uncertainty and opportunity, personal challenges, life lessons, failure and success, relationships and solitude, hard work, courage, play, fun and celebration, is symbolic of life. Community: The expedition teaches how to live as a community, to take into account the needs and desires of everyone. These are often the topics of discussions by the campfire. When there is a situation that presents a learning opportunity, a specific design is implemented for learning purposes. • How do we deal with conflict? • How are we communicating, what is being said and what is not being said that needs to be said? • What do we need to do to build trust? • What are our goals as individuals and as a group? Philosophy: Our mission is to give what we consider the greatest gift to young people: an experience of knowing they can be powerful and responsible while keeping an open heart. Our educational and adventure-filled journeys are a powerful way to give young people this gift by providing an unforgettable, life changing experience. At WILD, we seek to build a community based on trust. We value: • open and clean communication • respect for each individual's needs and emotions • challenging individuals and the group to live up to their higher potential • holding each other accountable • integrity and acting with an open heart |
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