Deutsche Wanderjugend

The DWJ supports children, young people and youth group leaders in many different ways. A big part of the work is to
support the members by helping them develop and carry out activities, concepts and innovative ideas. DWJ also offers a
wide range of practical and theoretical training courses. DWJ and its member organisations also offer a wide spectrum of
activities from weekly group meetings to camps and international youth exchanges. A special focus is set on "Young
Hiking".
DWJ publishes information, articles, guidelines, leaflets and practical manuals (such as Outdoor-Kids – manual for group
activities for children) online and in print. The organisation has its own member magazine WALK & more that is published
four times a year.
The strategic guidelines and organisational values of DWJ have been comprised into a mission statement with four key
priorities:
Out and about together
Experiencing being part of a community strengthens self-confidence; the support of the community offers space for
experiences, encouraging people to try out new things and helping them to overcome them. This is where one can
examine ones’ values, build friendships and explore new paths (in life).
For us, being out and about means literally being outside, hiking, exploring and camping.
In addition, it means being adaptable, open to new and unfamiliar things.
Experiencing nature - protecting nature - shaping the environment around us
For a vivid understanding of the environment, both the sensual experience of nature and the understanding of ecological
interrelations are important. For us, nature experience is just as much about getting to know the nature as it is about
subjective perception of it, such as the individual challenges in terms of physical endurance and navigation. It is our
objective to develop, through emotions and understanding, a commitment to nature conservation as a responsibility and
standard in all areas of life.
Exploring traditions and the modern culture
By traditions, we refer to the cultural traditions of past generations. However, culture is also shaped by current trends and
developments. It is our objective to make the notions of heritage and history tangible. To do so, we engage with tradition
in relation to its specific time.
We not only preserve and promote a variety of cultural traditions such as customs and rites, traditional clothing and
dances, we also incorporate modern elements into our music and cultural education. To see the traditional and the
modern in relation to each other requires a critical view of both.
Encouraging democratic and social engagement
We encourage children and young people to engage themselves in the societal reality. In our educational work, we aim to
foster skills such as judgement, tolerance, fairness and civil courage. The aim is to empower young people to take
responsibility, take action with equality, actively participate in society and thus contribute in shaping the world in which
they live in.