Operation Wild

This summer we set out on Operation Wild: canoeing the River Wye, cooking over open fires, and sleeping under the stars. But the real adventure was watching our young people grow in courage, confidence, and connection.

One young person put it perfectly: “We made our own world in the forest!”

Fear, Joy, and Breakthroughs

For some, the challenge was overcoming fears of water, darkness, or being away from home. For others, it was opening up about grief, anxiety, or social struggles. Around the campfire, stories were shared that built trust and belonging.

One young person ‘threw his anxiety’ into the fire, hoping to carry less of it in his life. Another told us, “I’ve always wanted to go on camp my whole life,” before sharing songs that reminded him of his dad. Another young person danced with glow sticks in the woods, shouting “YESSS!” to the sky, while his friend proudly curated his own campsite, saying again and again, “I’m just having the best time!”

Belonging in the Wild

By the final day, what began as a collection of nervous young people had transformed into a community, cooking together, building dens, supporting each other, and celebrating every achievement. One of them summed it up beautifully: “Your happiness is my happiness.”

More Than a Camp

Operation Wild wasn’t just about survival skills, it was about self-expression, resilience, and belonging. As one staff member reflected:

“It’s hard to capture the value of these moments. The impact was huge for the young people, and for us.”

To every young person: thank you for your courage, creativity, and care. To our staff team: thank you for leading with heart. Operation Wild showed us what happens when young people are given space to be real, to belong, and to explore life wholeheartedly.

From Adventure to Outcomes

• 11 young people took part across two cohorts.
• 324 total hours of engagement delivered.
• 100% of participants tried something completely new. 
• Young people reported increased confidence, resilience, and trust in themselves and others.
• Staff observed powerful breakthroughs around social anxiety, bereavement, and self-expression.
• Multiple young people asked to return as mentors, showing a shift from being supported to wanting to support others.

If your school is looking for a different way to support students like the young person in this story, we’d love to explore how we can work together. Want to see how we could fit alongside your school?

Check out OUR PROGRAMME or drop us a line to chat about how we can support your students: 👉 0117 239 0932 | office@urbanpursuit.co.uk