WCF 10 Core Traits

We believe that everyone deserves unstructured adventures and meaningful roles as community stewards in order to develop honest self-confidence and genuine faith in others. Through open exploration, authentic challenges, imaginative play and shared leadership, the Wild Communities Foundation seeks to develop and nurture 10 core traits.


MINDFUL ENGAGEMENT

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS & INITIATIVE

INSATIABLE CURIOSITY

IMAGINATIVE PLAY

HEALTHY SELF-EFFICACY & SELF-SUFFICIENCY

CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING & A SOLUTION- ORIENTED MINDSET

FLEXIBLE THINKING

COURAGEOUS CHOICES

CONSISTENT & AUTHENTIC GRATITUDE

COMPASSIONATE RELATIONSHIPS WITH SELF, OTHERS & NATURE

Six Tenets to Guide Our Work

  1. Unstructured time outside is beneficial and necessary to our mental, physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

  2. Everyone deserves an opportunity to cultivate a meaningful and personal relationship with the natural world.

  3. When we nurture our own “wildness” through open play outside and intentionally curated hardship, we develop a healthy self-esteem and strong sense of self-efficacy.

  4. Intergenerational communities are essential for our innovation, growth and happiness.

  5. Our community stewardship ethic is cultivated when we are held accountable to one another and when we understand that both human and non-human entities are part of our community.

  6. Young people will provide significant, meaningful contributions to their communities when invited to collaborate in multi-age settings and trusted with impactful responsibilities.