Project goals and what we hope to achieve:
To use the benefits offered through surfing and surf culture to provide vulnerable, disabled,disadvantaged and at risk groups in the local area with:
o increased physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health
o developed motor skills, coordination, balance and spatial awareness
o enhanced personal and social communication skills
o developed relational skills, and a sense of belonging
o increased self esteem, personal belief and motivation
o developed team working skills
o an understanding of environmental awareness
o developed sense and commitment to personal responsibility
o opportunities to develop creative expression and related skills
Why this project is important:
We aim to take 10 groups of 10 disabled and disadvantaged adults and children to experience the benefits of surfing each week over a six week period this summer. As a pilot course we will evaluate these sessions with the aim to develop them further in 2014, offering regular opportunities and surf club support to these groups. We aim to work with adults and children with physical disabilities, youth with autism/aspergers, those with mental health issues, families in poverty, looked after youth, war vetrans affected by PTSD, those affected by homelessness, young offenders, and ex offenders.
All these groups are those on the edge of society, struggling with many day to day pressures. Surfing is an immensely popular and growing sport that can transcend cultures and ages. It offers an enticing lifestyle and an accessible way to tackle some of the major issues affecting people in the world today. It offers a sense of community, of belonging as part of a surfing ‘tribe’ as well as a rare sense of freedom engaging with nature and the wide world. For these reasons it offers a fantastic range of relational, physical, mental and emotional health benefits to people of all ages and backgrounds.
The success of surfing projects such as the Disabled Surfers Association of Australia, `Freedom Surfing' (disabilities - Cornwall, UK) and `Surf Action' (war vetrans - Cornwall, UK) have proved the benefits of using surfing as therapy to those disadvantaged or disabled, yet opportunities for this kind of engagement across the UK and Wider World are still limited. There are currently no such opportunities for disadvantaged to access surfing in Wales,and limited opportunities for those with disabilities despite the growing surf scene. The three counties of Bridgend, RCT and Merthyr Tydfill we will be working in are amongst the most deprived in Wales - this project could offer fantastic benefits for community cohesion, skills development, improving health and broadening horizons to those who need it most.
