Tree · Fachwen, near Llanberis, Gwynedd, Wales
Kingfisher Project
Volunteer-led rites of passage for boys aged 14 to 16 · Snowdonia
Since 2022Works nationallyEryri (Snowdonia)
- rites of passage
- youth initiation
- boys
- mentoring
- intergenerational
- wilderness
Kingfisher Project brings a group of 8 teenage boys each spring to a four-day 'Call to Adventure' initiation weekend at Cae Mabon, an environmental education centre in Snowdonia. Each boy is paired with a 'man of trust' he chooses with his family, who joins four online preparation sessions and then goes with the boy to the weekend. The project ran its first gathering in April 2022, became a Community Interest Company in August 2026, and is fundraising for bursaries for boys from low-income families.
The project draws on traditional coming-of-age practice: a boy is separated from his parents for a time, faces a suitable challenge, and comes home changed. It is run by a volunteer community of experienced facilitators, including Sean Taylor, Eric Maddern and William Ayot. The next gathering is 8 to 11 April 2027 at Cae Mabon, and applications open each September.