Junzi
Character Challenge
"Discovery of the self"
The main objective of this program is self-discovery and the establishment of new and more clearly defined character values, goals and identity. The Junzi program invites and guides teens (ages 13 – 18) to explore, define and find answers to questions all adolescents face during the journey to adulthood, namely:
- Who am I?
- What am I?
- What do I believe?
- What do I want?
- What am I capable of?
- Where did I come from and where am I going?
Through unique outdoor adventures, cultural exploration, experiential education, challenging environments and relationship-building, youth learn much more than just how to have fun and travel in nature.
The Importance of Character
Character traits are the distinguishing morals, attitudes, beliefs and values of an individual. Character traits grow from challenging life experiences and are the most precious thing a person can have because it makes them distinct from other people.
Education & Employment Opportunities
To obtain entrance into the best academic schools and highly valued employment opportunities, superior character traits are now replacing academic degrees and performance scores.
The Harvard School of Education reports that:
“student character, social and emotional learning skills are highly predictive of university and life success.”
Increasingly, universities are switching to character evaluation tests, interviews, character assessment essays, and questions as one of their main entrance evaluation tools for selecting new applicants.
University and College Requirements
For top Canadian university faculties most applicants have academic grade averages of 90% or above; therefore, personal statements provide a way for universities to choose the most suitable candidates. This character-based application adjustment is being played out in universities across the globe and especially in North America.
Examples of Assessment Essays
“Please reflect on and write about a time when you or someone you observed had to make a choice about whether to act with integrity and honesty.”
“Describe one way in which your character has contributed to your community, whether in your family, the classroom, or your neighbourhood.”
“Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.”
“Explain how you responded to a problem and/or an unfamiliar situation. What did you do, what was the outcome, and what did you learn from the experience?”
The Vancouver Outdoors Society’s Junzi Character Challenge is specifically designed to help teens establish a commitment to personal character development and the competitive edge required to gain entrance to the best possible post-secondary institutions that will help them succeed in life. This program prepares students to attain the highest achievements in academics, employment, business, relationships and culture.
The Story Behind Junzi
2,500 years ago, Confucius used the word Junzi to describe a respectable virtuous person – the superior person.
Confucius influenced his student by his words as well as deeds, setting an example for what a Junzi looks like. His students constantly came together and followed him to get along the way to learn how to become a Junzi.
Likewise, we plan to form an experiential learning group for students that nurtures the character traits of a Junzi by forming a community.
Our Method
3 Tasks for a Successful Adolescent-Adult Transition
- Establish personal values, attitudes, knowledge and behaviours
- Develop a clear sense of personal identity and a positive sense of self-worth and control over one’s life
- Foster the ability to form healthy relationships with others
- Find a valued place in the world and ways to be useful to others
- Develop lifelong learning habits and master social skills
- Create a sense of curiosity and exploration
- Acquire skills to participate in the economy and establish respect for diversity
Create a Safe and Positive Environment
The Junzi program provides a safe harbour where the participant is surrounded by teens and adults whose entire commitment is dedicated to being focused on positive choices, behaviours and values.
This environment provides the best, fastest and most harmonious way for youth to find their way forward to adulthood with a minimum of risk, disappointment and harm to themselves or their family along the way.
Increase Personal Growth through Challenges
When students are faced with unknown challenges, or uncertain outcomes, they have three choices:
- To withdraw and avoid any loss or discomfort and cutting off all growth and learning opportunities
- To charge blindly ahead with no regard for the consequences and risk getting harmed or harming others
- To seek out others and relationships that can offer wise counsel, mentorship, choices, friendship and activities, as a way forward to overcome challenges
The Junzi program creates and offers that third choice by providing safe harbour to improve and educate the students with the benefit of a minimum amount of exposure to risk, failure or harm.
Family Involvement
Participants will:
- Create an E-portfolio that will include written, video and photo content of their participation
- Make group presentations to families about their activities and successes
- Create an individual and group logs to be shared with parents
- Attend three hours of professional family, teen, or academic counselling
Parents will:
- Be invited to attend activities when it is possible and suitable
- Be invited to a meeting with their teen and a member of our staff to offer support and provide suggestions about the teen’s character development
- Have a monthly Junzi group meeting with Vancouver Outdoors Society’s staff and managers
Instructors will:
- Work with each teen to establish a personal education plan for the year and parents will be invited to contribute to the plan
Find more about our Family Involvement Strategy
Year-long Plan 2022 - 2023 (Monthly Enrolment Option)
Certifications & Qualifications Participants Will Receive
- First Aid
- CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation)
- AED (Automated external defibrillator) training
- Outdoor Council of Canada Outdoor Leader Certification
- Duke of Edinburgh Award
- BC Food Safe Certificate
- 30 Hour Community Service High School Graduation Requirement
Junzi Program Activities
- Team Building
- Leadership Theory and Management
- First Aid
- Outdoor Leadership Group Management Training
- Rock Climbing
- Backcountry Mountain Hiking
- Camping Navigation
- Sea Kayaking
- Mountain Biking
- River Rafting
- Alpine Mountain Snow Climbing
- Duke of Edinburgh
- International Expedition Planning and Leading
- Expedition Food Planing and Safety
- Skiing
- Digital Media Recording
- Editing and Reporting Training
- Community Service
- Cross Cultural Exploration and Relationship Building
- Wilderness Hiking & Camping
- Other Activities as Selected, Planned and Run by the Participants
Fees
Option 1
January to July (29+ days in total)-
Includes all instruction, activity fees, food, ski tickets, accommodation, transportation and tax
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Does not include air flight travel cost, ski/snowboard lessons and rentals
Option 2
Monthly Enrolment (choose dates and activities)-
Includes all instruction, activity fees, food, ski tickets, accommodation, transportation and tax
-
Does not include air flight travel cost, ski/snowboard lessons and rentals
For more information about each month and the included activities, please click the Activities & Challenges Schedule button above.
What To Bring
List of personal items will be provided after registration with joining instructions.
Group & Safety
Health and safety are always our priority. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to implement policies to protect our participants, including the requirement of triple vaccinations and rapid tests before trips for staff.
Do you have any questions about our Junzi program?
If you have not found all the information you need, please contact us. We are happy to answer all of your questions.