Surf therapy aims to tackle poor mental health on the Yorkshire Coast
The charity wants to help children under 18 improve their mental health
A charity in Scarborough is looking to address increasing rates of mental health issues among children and young people.
The Wave Project encourages 'surf therapy' as being in and around the water can help those struggling with anxiety and depression.
The charity says its aim is to change this and for the last 13 years has been running its surf therapy programs across the UK.
Joe Taylor, Founder of The Wave Project, said: "There's a huge crisis in children's mental health at the moment and we found that our approach of using a combination of surfing or stand up paddleboarding, combined with peer mentoring, which is the main service we offer really helps to improve positive and emotional wellbeing.
"There's quite a lot of evidence around immersion and being in and around the water that's very calming for the mind that provides really positive stimulation for the brain. Surfing and paddleboarding are also really good fun and for young people fun is a really important part of their life, particularly those who are feeling anxious or experiencing depression.
"We hope that they will self identify in a bit of a different way and not see themselves as people who are struggling or finding life difficult but identify more as surfers and part of a culture that's really positive and really cool. We've found that this approach is really empowering for them.
"It's very important for us to raise awareness of our work so that people know they can refer children to The Wave Project in Scarborough. The sessions are free and it's a really great intervention for helping lift young people's mood and help their wellbeing. We'd be delighted to talk to anyone who wants to refer a young people to us.
"Surf Therapy has grown from a pilot scheme in Cornwall into a global phenomenon. At The Wave Project, we are now thinking about how this amazing form of therapy can be developed further to reach more young people across the UK.
"The Talks are an opportunity to discuss these ideas with people who may benefit from surf therapy themselves, or are interested in getting more involved. We are super grateful to Saltrock for supporting these Talks and helping us to broaden understanding of surf therapy."
Kate Ross-Smith, Marketing Manager, Saltrock, said: "The Wave Project Talks is a great way of getting the surf therapy message out to the wider public and into communities who need their support. The statistics behind young people’s mental health are frightening and these are the reported ones.
"I think we all know someone first-hand who is or has struggled with their mental health. The Wave Project is tackling this head on with surf therapeutic support, giving young people a chance to be themselves and in some cases transform themselves, and have better lives.
"We hope these Talks will mean more funding, more volunteers and more people talking about The Wave Project.”
The Wave Project will be hosting a free talk at Taylor's Bar in Scarborough about the work they do. It takes place tomorrow (Tuesday 23rd May) and can be booked via Eventbrite.
Find out more about The Wave Project on their website.