How we plan to tackle mental health among youth using surf therapy.
Young people who are constantly exposed to stress and trauma are more at risk to physical illness and diseases, poor cognition and emotional and behavioural regulations. They are more likely to make life choices that are unhealthy for themselves and for those around them. To tackle those outcomes of stress we’re planning to set up a surf therapy along the Kenyan coast. We are working with the “Waves for Change” organisation, who is offering us support to set up the project. “Waves for Changes” has worked with vulnerable and differently-abled youth in South Africa for 10 years already.
We will use surfing to rid our coast from plastic pollution.
Surf therapy fuses the rush of surfing with evidence-based mind/body therapy, to counter the impacts of the environments the children are living in. It helps improve the mental and physical well-being of vulnerable young people growing up in challenging communities. The surf therapy will take place along the Kenyan coast. Youths will take part in classes of 10-20 children in weekly sessions, where they will have a safe space. They will master challenging and difficult tasks, which will make them feel positive about themselves. They will also learn new behaviours and skills, which will help them to understand and regulate their feelings. At the end of the sessions, they will take their newly learned skills home to their communities, and integrate them in their day-to-day life. During the surf lessons local issues can be included in the sessions, for example preservation efforts or cleaning of the beaches.
To set up the new project along the coast, we need your help! If you’re living along the coast and feel that you as an individual, or maybe your organisation, can help with starting the project, please fill in the form below and send it to us.
The Youth Cafe is part of the Wave Alliance.
We will need different volunteers with various skills. Anyway, the most important fact will be a safe access to the beach. Most important skills will be a good relationship with the community and the ability to swim. Further skills, experiences that you could have already and tasks you will have include:
Good knowledge of and connection to the community you live in for example to schools, youth groups or existing NGO’s: Your task will be to mobilise the community, to find youths who want to participate in the project and to see how the delivery of the sessions will be possible.
Experience in marketing: Your task will be to also help raise awareness among the local community, and also work for a broader awareness.
Experience in working with youth groups and sports: Your task will be to carry out the surf therapy sessions. It is not so important that you know how to surf, but that you feel safe in the water, and that you are committed and passionate about youth development.
Experience in funding: Your task will be to find local as well as international donors and partners, who will help us with the project, and to write calls for donations.
Experience in project/event planning: Your task will be to plan and set up the sessions and a graduation at the end. This will be especially important when the project will expand, and we will have several classes.
Experience with communication skills: Your task will be to bring together the different actors within the project and to represent us.
Experience in monitoring and evaluation: Your task will be to improve the projects and to make sure the needs of the local community are met.
For the members who will participate in the project, a two-week training in South Africa will be offered. There you will get training in basic monitoring and evaluation, programme design, community mapping, missions setting and how to talk about the program.
For any questions and enquiries, contact Nele Winter: nele.winter@theyouthcafe.com