The Purpose Gap: Why So Many Young Canadians Feel Hopeless — and What We Can Do About It

In a recent Globe and Mail feature, “Canadian youth are among the most unhappy in the developed world”, journalist Erin Anderssen reports a sobering finding: young Canadians are struggling more with unhappiness and hopelessness than almost any other youth population in the developed world.

According to the latest Gallup World Poll, Canadian young people report some of the lowest levels of hope and life satisfaction — even lower than in some nations facing economic crisis or conflict.

It should be a wake-up call for parents, educators, and policymakers alike.
We have not been striving, working, and building all these years only for our children to end up anxious, disillusioned, and unanchored.

The article suggests economics may be to blame — rising costs of living, unaffordable housing, and an uncertain job market. But that’s not the whole story.
If money alone explained it, other nations with similar challenges would show the same despair. They don’t. Across much of Europe, where life is also expensive, young people still report higher happiness, confidence, and connection.

So what’s really going on?

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The Deeper Crisis: A Generation Without “Why”

We believe this crisis runs deeper than economics. It’s not just about what young people have — it’s about what they lack: a sense of purpose.

A hopeless generation is, at its core, a purposeless one. And a purposeless generation is fragile — easily overwhelmed, disconnected from community, and unsure of its place in the world.

For decades, education has focused on what to learn — content, tests, and credentials — but rarely on why.
Why am I here? What do I care about? What kind of life feels meaningful to me?

These are the questions that give life its centre of gravity. They’re the compass points that build resilience, belonging, and direction.

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How WILDE Is Rebuilding Purpose

At WILDE, we believe education must be a journey of reconnection — helping students rediscover meaning by connecting deeply with themselves, each other, their community, and the larger world they’re part of.

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1. Reconnecting Youth to Themselves

It begins with self-awareness — learning to listen inward.
Every student at WILDE uses The Life Compass, a framework that helps them explore their values, motivations, and sense of direction. Through guided journaling, one-on-one mentorship, and reflective dialogue, students learn to understand what energizes them, what matters to them, and what gives their life meaning.

In a world of constant noise and comparison, we teach them to pause — to be curious about who they are becoming.

Journaling isn’t an add-on at WILDE; it’s a daily practice. Students track their emotions, insights, and growth. They learn that reflection is not self-indulgence — it’s self-discovery.

This process builds emotional literacy, grounding, and confidence — the roots of authentic purpose.

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2. Reconnecting Youth to Each Other

Isolation is one of the great silent epidemics among today’s youth.
At WILDE, we rebuild connection through shared experience. Students paddle together on multi-day canoe trips, build shelters side by side, and work as teams to navigate challenges that test patience, empathy, and leadership.

These experiences are not just outdoor adventures — they are living classrooms for emotional intelligence.
Students learn the skills of empathy, conflict resolution, listening, and cooperation. They practice giving and receiving feedback. They learn to see each other’s strengths, celebrate differences, and rebuild trust after tension.

By working through real challenges — not abstract exercises — they learn what it truly means to belong to a group.

As one student reflected after a trip:

“I didn’t just learn how to paddle; I learned how to be part of something bigger than me.”

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3. Reconnecting Youth to Their Community

Purpose grows through contribution.

The WILDE Awards program gives students structured, supported ways to serve their communities and develop leadership through real action.

Through four growth pathways — Community Stewardship, Skill Growth, Vital Body, and Leadership & Service — students earn recognition not for grades, but for personal growth, reflection, and initiative.

• Younger students begin with Roots Projects: small acts of service, skill development, and local engagement.
• As they progress through Branches and Canopy levels, they design self-directed projects, mentor younger peers, and lead initiatives that make a real difference — from organizing food drives to restoring habitats to helping with local events.

These projects teach that learning is not confined to classrooms — it’s woven into life. They help students experience the joy of giving and the pride of being useful.

When a student helps plant a garden for a local food bank or designs a trail sign for a conservation area, they begin to understand:
Purpose is not something you find. It’s something you build — together.

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4. Reconnecting Youth to a Wider World

Finally, we help students see themselves as part of something larger — a living planet and a global human story.

Through our outdoor education programs, environmental projects, and growing network of partnerships, students learn that their choices and actions ripple outward.Whether it’s studying local ecosystems, learning from Indigenous knowledge keepers, or simply spending time in nature, they begin to understand that they are part of an interconnected web of life.

Our vision is to continue deepening this global perspective — building more opportunities for cultural exchange, collaboration, and shared purpose in theyears to come.

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A Path Forward

If we want to rebuild hope in our young people, we must do more than fix the economy.
We must rebuild meaning.

That means creating schools that help students understand themselves, connect with others, contribute to community, and act with care for the planet.
It means giving them time — real time — to reflect, explore, and grow.
It means reminding them that life is not a checklist to complete, but a journey to live with intention.

At WILDE, we see purpose as the foundation of joy, resilience, and fulfillment.
When students know their “why,” they can endure any “how.”

Maybe that’s the real measure of progress — not how much we earn, but how deeply our children feel that their lives matter.

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