Giving kids a break: how surfing has helped young people in Cornwall overcome mental health and social difficulties

The paper aims to provide a summary of an innovative three‐year project that uses surfing as a health intervention for young people with emotional, social or mental health problems.

The paper outlines the project which delivers six‐week surfing courses to 100 young people with mental health needs who are experiencing social exclusion. Participants’ levels of self‐confidence, self‐esteem and wellbeing were measured using pre and post wellbeing rating scales, along with feedback from clients and the people around them.

The intervention had a positive impact on the lives of participants. Average confidence and wellbeing scores rose over the six weeks. Some clients made significant improvements in managing their own behaviour and in achieving improved social inclusion. Examples of this cited in the paper include children at risk of school refusal who re‐engaged with school, and improvements to their behaviour at home or with peers.

Evaluation interviews were undertaken by volunteers, not a professional evaluator.

The paper describes opportunities for health trusts and local authorities to explore surfing as a positive intervention for individuals experiencing mental health or social exclusion problems.

The paper highlights a highly innovative approach to re‐engaging young people which could be of value to health or local authority commissioners.