Wild Ground
Reconnect with your childâand help them step into confidence, independence, and self-belief through a shared rite of passage experience in nature.
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For fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters (ages ~10â13).
No experience needed. Not a survival camp.Â
No commitmentâjust express interest and receive details
Thereâs a growing gap between what kids are taughtâŚ
and what theyâll actually need in order to handle whatâs coming
Thereâs something most parents can feel⌠even if itâs hard to put into words.
Our kids are growing up in a world of
- screens
- comfort
- distraction
- and disconnection from real life
And while theyâre learning plentyâŚ
â itâs not preparing them for what actually lies ahead
The Gap
School teaches knowledge.
But it doesnât teach what matters most:
- how to handle pressure
- how to take responsibility
- how to step forward when things are uncertain
- how to lead
- how to think critically and act with integrity
The Real Question
If not the systemâŚ
Then where does the next generation of leaders actually come from?
Because if weâre honestâŚ
Trust in institutions is eroding.
Leadership, in many areas, feels disconnected from:
- integrity
- responsibility
- and genuine care for peopleÂ
So the question becomes:
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â How do we raise young people who are ready for whatâs ahead?
The Ultimate Resistance
Not loud protest. Not reacting to every headline. But something far more powerful:
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â raising young people who can think for themselves, stand on their own feet, and act with courage when it matters
Because the next generation of leaders wonât come from broken systems.
Theyâll come from families.
From whatâs modelled at home.
From whatâs reinforced through real experience.
From moments that shape identity â not just opinions.
A different model of leadership
Not driven by status, control, or approval.
But grounded in
- personal responsibility
- fairness
- courage
- compassion
- and independence
â This is where real leadership begins.
THE MISSING PIECE
In traditional cultures, this transition was never left to chance.
There was always a moment where young people stepped forward â and were tested in a meaningful way.
Not to break themâŚ
But to build:
confidence
capability
identity
â To mark the shift from child â young adult
And importantlyâŚ
What Makes This Different
This isnât about handing your child over and hoping they come back âbetterâ.
Itâs about being part of the process.
For parents and kids â especially around that 12â15 age range â this becomes a shared experience.
A shared experience
A chance to step out of the day-to-day environment
Reconnection without distraction
An opportunity to connect and focus on each other
Mark a transition
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â This isnât theory. Itâs something you experience together.
Reconnection and Resilience
A lot of young people today are overwhelmed.
More anxious. More disconnected.
Less certain of themselves and their place in the world.
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This isnât about âfixingâ that.
But it is about returning to what has always worked:
Time in nature
Real-world challenge
Connection with others
A sense of personal capability
â The foundations of resilience⌠not taught, but experienced
This is where things begin to shift.
From:
And as a parentâŚ
â youâre part of that handover
Not forcing it.
Not over-directing it.
Just being there â present â as it happens.
The Experience
3 days in a wilderness setting.
No screens. No noise. No pressure to perform.
Just:
- time in nature
- practical, hands-on challenges
- shared experiences
- guided support when needed
- and space for things to shift naturally
A quick note on what this is
(and what it isnât):
This is not a hardcore survival experience.
Itâs a well-supported, thoughtfully guided environment with comfortable camping or simple accommodation (full details shared later).
The focus isnât on pushing people to extremes â
itâs on connection, capability, and shared experience in a setting that feels real, but still supported.
Who is this for
Young people (12â15) and a parent to experience together (father, mother, son, or daughter)
Why this matters
Because this moment doesnât happen by default anymore.
And if we donât create itâŚ
â something else fills the gap
(and itâs rarely something weâd consciously choose for our kids)
Iâve been looking for something like this for a long time.
Recently, I reconnected with someone I trust whoâs been quietly running these experiences for years.
Itâs simple. Grounded. And it works.
Now Iâm considering opening this up to our community.
Because I believe the future will be shaped by young people who are:
- capable
- grounded
- and willing to step forward when it matters
â And that starts with how we raise them.
If this speaks to you, take 60 seconds and let me know.About the facilitator, Mike Hayes
Mike Hayes has been delivering outdoor adventure training experiences and corporate adventure programs in Kangaroo Valley since 1998.
Mike has a degree in Exercise Physiology and Biomechanics and holds a Diploma of Outdoor Recreation. He has a particular passion for the amazing wildlife in Kangaroo Valley and is the âgo toâ person when it comes to understanding the Valleys amazing platypus population. Mike is passionate about facilitating empowering experiences for young people that allow nature to be our greatest teacher.
