Waves of Wellness Foundation

Mental health challenges remain one of the biggest issues impacting young people, with 1 in 4 people experiencing challenges with their mental health in Australia – yet they’re just the people we know about. Many young people don’t seek help due to fear of judgment, however it’s important they learn the skills and strategies to cope with mental health and wellbeing before it becomes an issue.

Waves of Wellness will take their proven Surfing Experience to Melbourne, Sydney and Newcastle to help build mental fitness for youth and young adults. A four part mini-series that captures the essence of being a participant in the WOW program, while showcasing mental health messages that are relevant well beyond the sand, will also be developed. This will be done in consultation with youth program participants and a clinical psychotherapist to ensure the content promotes positive behaviour change and a clear call to action.

The videos will be shared across WOW’s online platforms, including web and social media, as well as partner and influencer platforms to reach young people and form the basis of a wider digital educational platform.

The project allows WOW to have direct program impact not only for the program participants, but for those people who cannot access their programs at the beach, who might be geographically isolated, experience accessibility issues, or choose not to get involved. It provides WOW with an avenue to target those people who might be falling through the cracks through an innovative digital approach to mental health.

Past project

WOW is a mental health surf-therapy charity committed to changing lives by delivering for-purpose innovative programs for people experiencing mental health challenges.

In Australia, one in five people experience challenges with their mental health, yet the issue remains highly stigmatised preventing many from seeking the necessary support or treatment.

'Get wet and have a good time' is the idea behind WOW, but their message runs much deeper than that with their surf therapy programs helping participants to understand that it's OK not to be OK, and that you don't have to ever go it alone.

The grant will allow WOW to design and pilot a trauma specific surf therapy program for young people in the Hunter region. The program would be the first of its kind globally, with the aim to assist hundreds of youth with their mental health in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie region.