Tomorrow's Skills for Swiss Children
Key Skills for Swiss Children: Much More Than Good Grades!
As a teacher at friLingue camps, I spend every summer with hundreds of children and teenagers, and I often ask myself this question: how do we prepare them for tomorrow's world? Because let's be honest, today's Switzerland no longer resembles the one from our childhood, and theirs will probably be even more different. Between automation transforming the job market, intensifying ecological challenges, and ever-present globalization, our students will need to master much more than the Pythagorean theorem to succeed.
I'm not saying we should stress these kids out or turn them into little ultra-performing robots. Quite the opposite! The idea is to give them the tools to navigate serenely in this world in motion. So, what are these famous skills that I observe as essential in the field?
Critical Thinking: Their Best Shield
If I had to choose just one skill to develop in the young people I work with, it would be this one. Why? Because these children are growing up in a world where ChatGPT can write convincing but sometimes completely false essays, where TikTok algorithms push them toward increasingly extreme content, and where ads promise them that some shampoo will make their hair "300% shinier" (spoiler: no, it doesn't work).
Learning to analyze, question, and think for themselves is no longer a luxury—it's become an absolute necessity. And I can tell you that after several years organizing camps, having a colleague capable of questioning information is worth its weight in gold!
How do we develop this skill concretely? I use the "Why?" method a lot during our camps. When a participant tells me "All the influencers say this game is awesome!", I simply ask them: "Who exactly says that? How does this person know? Did they actually test the game or are they being paid to talk about it?" It's incredible how quickly young people understand these nuances when you explain them simply.
The other exercise I'm particularly fond of is the "info detective" game. We choose a viral piece of information together (like "Pink dolphin spotted in Lake Geneva!") and we investigate: are the photos retouched? Is the site reliable? In just a few minutes, my students learn to spot fake news better than many adults.
Multilingualism: Our Swiss Superpower
Here in Switzerland, speaking only one language is like having a Swiss Army knife without the main blade! In our camps, I see the difference it makes every day. The children who socialize the fastest are those who speak the most languages, and even the shyest ones become the center of attention when they can act as translators. I know it's sometimes difficult to motivate young people to learn German when they prefer watching series in French, but it's really an investment in their future.
The ideal, in my experience, is to master two national languages plus English. Why English? Because it's become the language of technology, science, and most of the YouTube tutorials they love watching are in English.
What really works is immersion. In our friLingue camps, I see incredible transformations: shy children who finally dare to speak German after just a few days, or teenagers who discover they can actually communicate in English. Living the language rather than repeating irregular verbs in a classroom is incomparably more effective. I witness it every summer!
Emotional Intelligence: The Secret to Successful Relationships
We often forget this, but the professional world doesn't revolve solely around technical skills (less and less so, actually). Knowing how to work in a team, understand others' emotions, communicate ideas without creating conflict—that's what makes the difference between a good collaborator and an excellent leader.
During our camps, I constantly observe these interactions: when I see a participant learn to understand that their roommate isn't necessarily "annoying" but maybe just homesick, or when they manage to explain their point of view during a debate without it turning into an argument, I tell myself they're developing skills that will serve them their entire life.
This is actually one of the strengths of our friLingue camps. They're not just language learning programs—they're a real school of life in society. Participants learn to live together, resolve conflicts, make friends from different backgrounds. I see it every summer: friendships that bloom despite language barriers, conflicts resolved through dialogue, natural leaders emerging.
Technology: Taming It Without Getting Lost
The young people we work with don't need to become hackers, but they absolutely must know how to navigate intelligently in the digital world. This means understanding at least the basics of how a computer works, learning the fundamentals of coding (if only to create a website to sell their old toys!), and especially developing their critical sense when faced with information they find online.
In our camps, we often integrate programming workshops. It's fascinating to see how participants gain confidence when they realize they can create something with their hands and brain! I also think they need to learn to use artificial intelligence like ChatGPT without becoming dependent on it. It's a wonderful tool, but I always teach them to verify what it produces and keep their critical thinking.
Autonomy: Learning to Fly on Their Own Wings
This is one of the most beautiful developments to observe during our camps. These young people need to learn to manage on their own, and it's often away from home that they succeed best. I'm not necessarily talking about tidying their room (well, we can always hope!), but rather about progressively developing their ability to make decisions, manage their affairs, or resolve a small conflict without calling their parents.
This autonomy builds little by little, and I see it develop every day during our stays. A child who learns to manage their laundry, who organizes activities with their new friends, who dares to ask for help when needed but tries on their own first... These moments are precious and forge their character.
It's often during these experiences outside the family cocoon that autonomy develops best. Our summer camps become laboratories for learning independence, where participants discover they're capable of much more than they imagined.
Citizens of the World, but Rooted in Switzerland
In our camps, we welcome young people from all over Switzerland and sometimes beyond. I'd like them to grow up with this beautiful openness to the world that characterizes our country, while remaining attached to our Swiss values. This means knowing how to work with people from different cultures, understanding the ecological issues that concern us all, and perhaps one day getting involved in the community life of their municipality.
I see this cultural richness every day: a French-speaker learning a few words of Swiss German, a Ticino girl discovering Valais traditions, city dwellers breathing the pure air of our mountains... This diversity in unity is the Switzerland I love and hope to pass on to these young people.
How to Transmit All This Without Boring Them?
After several years of teaching, I've understood that the key is making learning concrete and fun. Rather than yet another essay, why not let participants create a mini-company during camp? Or organize a cultural event? Role-playing games work very well too: "You're the CEO of a startup, how do you handle this crisis?" (Forbidden answer: "I'll call dad"!).
In our friLingue camps, we focus precisely on this approach: combining learning and pleasure. Because ultimately, it's when these young people have fun that they learn best. I see it every summer: tongues loosen around a campfire, friendships form during a hike, and discoveries happen while laughing.
The activities we offer—sports, creative workshops, outdoor adventures—aren't just "bonuses" to keep participants busy. They're the perfect breeding ground for developing all these essential skills.
Prepared, but Not Rushed
The future belongs to young people who are curious, adaptable, and comfortable in their own skin. And if they also speak three languages and know how to code, then tomorrow's Switzerland will be in very good hands. The important thing is to accompany them in this preparation without rushing them, respecting their rhythm and personality.
After all these years spent with hundreds of young people in our camps, I can assure you that each of them already has everything they need inside them to succeed. Our role as teachers and mentors is simply to help them reveal their potential. And believe me, seeing a shy child gain confidence or a reserved teenager become a group leader—that's priceless!
