WAVE PROJECT
Victory of Determination

WAVE PROJECT

The Wave Project helps vulnerable children and young people across the UK with mental health challenges through surf therapy. We run award-winning surf therapy programmes for children aged 8-18 across the UK. Using trained volunteer mentors, we help children improve their emotional health and wellbeing through free and subsidised surfing lessons. We also run a beach school project for children who may benefit from learning outside the classroom.

Situation

The children and young people in the UK are suffering from a mental health crisis following the pandemic. 1 in 6 children had a probable mental health disorder in 2021 according to a recent NHS report. This manifests through sleeping problems, eating problems, an increase in self-harm and hospitalisation and children we are working with are presenting with significant problems ranging from extreme anxiety, depression and self-harm.

Solution

We have an evidence based intervention that is recognised by the NHS, local authorities and psychiatric services to be effective in improving the well being, outlook, self esteem and confidence of children and young people. The intervention combines surfing with mentoring and principles of group therapy. Over a course of 6 weeks the children learn to surf, make friends and feel more confident about themselves, enabling them to tackle other problems in their lives. 

Find out more at www.waveproject.co.uk