The Power of Surf Therapy, with The Wave Project

Researchers and scientists are increasingly investigating the mental health benefits of water sports, with The Wave Project at the forefront of these ground breaking findings. As the world’s first surf therapy providers funded by a government health service, The Wave Project is revolutionising mental health care. Based in Newquay, this organisation is transforming the lives of young people through the power of waves, offering a unique and therapeutic approach to mental well-being.

Tell us how The Wave Project came out

The Wave Project uses the power of surfing to improve young people’s mental health and wellbeing. Born on a beach in Cornwall in 2010, we have grown to become a national charity that changes young lives across all four corners of the U.K.

We have developed a pioneering programme to support young people struggling with their mental health and who don’t feel that conventional services work for them. Surf Therapy draws on the significant psychological powers of surfing, being in the water, positive relationships and feeling part of a community.

Over six weeks, young people learn to surf at their local beach through 1:1 support from one of our 1,600 committed local volunteers. Young people improve their surfing skills, reap the healing benefits of the water and connect with their peers and community. At the end of their programme, young people have the opportunity to join our Surf Club to continue to grow, both out on the waves and in their personal lives.

We work in 16 locations across the country, including in Cornwall, Edinburgh, Isle of Wight and North Yorkshire. We have proven that Surf Therapy can work successfully in places without reliable waves (e.g. Brighton) and places inland, where we either transport people to the beach (e.g. from London) or use artificial wave pools (e.g. Bristol).

We work with over 2,500 young people each year. Our unique approach unlocks three vital social and emotional skills - self-confidence, optimism and the capacity to build positive relationships. These spark a longer-term ripple effect, with young people going onto improve their mental health and wellbeing, build healthy relationships, develop a sense of belonging and increase their engagement with education and other positive activities.

What do the statistics tell us about the mental health of our young people?

Nationally, from the years 2017 to 2020, rates of probable mental disorder in children aged 5 to 16 years rose from 1 in 9 (10.8%) to 1 in 6 (16.0%) (NHS Digital, 2020). In 2023, around one in every five children and young people aged 8-25 had a mental health difficulty (NHS Digital, 2023).

In 2022-23 nearly 1 million children and young people (949,200) were referred to Child and Young People’s Mental Health Support Services (CYPMHS, also known as CAMHS). This is 8% of the 11.9 million children in England. This also means that approximately 12% of children (20% - 8%) with a mental health difficulty are not even referred. The Children’s Commissioner reports (based on 2022-23 figures) 270,300 (28%) children and young people are still waiting for mental health support after being referred.

In the 12 months to March 2024, 8,889 children and young people accessed NHS funded CAMHS services in Cornwall. The number of mental health referrals for children at Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CPNFT) has soared by 157% in the last five years, a new investigation has found.

In 2024, the Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust received 11,612 referrals - up from 4,512 in 2019. Anxiety, Self-harm, Eating Disorders, Depression and Neurodevelopmental conditions were the most common referral reasons in the last year.

Mental health referrals for children with anxiety has increased by 217 per cent in the last five years from 610 in 2019 to 1,932 in the last year.

How does The Wave Project aim to benefit these children?

We exist for young people who are struggling with their mental health. Young people come to The Wave Project for a variety of reasons, including anxiety, low mood and trauma. We work with people like Simone, who was diagnosed with ADHD and emotional dysregulation and Carter, who was experiencing depression and anxiety after his father took his own life.

The demand for our work across the country is at an all-time high. The number of young people struggling with their mental health is rising at a staggering rate. According to a recent NHS report, one in five children have a probable mental health disorder.

The near epidemic levels of mental health issues tell us much about what it is to be young today. Young people face greater pressure to achieve academic success, a rise in isolation and loneliness due to societal trends, escalation of social media usage, a tough job market, and an existential threat in the form of climate change.

For those young people facing social and economic disadvantage, the situation is even tougher. Vulnerable groups that The Wave Project supports include young people living in poverty, looked after children, care leavers, refugees and unaccompanied asylum seekers. The majority of our work takes place in rural, deprived coastal areas and 75% of our young surfers have had at least one Adverse Childhood Experience (e.g. family dysfunction).

Poor mental health has devastating consequences for young people. It can disrupt their education through poor attendance at school, challenging classroom behaviour and exclusion. It can lead to harmful behaviours, such as substance misuse, criminal behaviour, self-harm, eating disorders and social withdrawal.

Why do you think surfing has such an affect on our wellbeing?

We have developed a unique way of working with young people that combines the special powers of surfing and being in the water with the benefits of a positive relationship with a local volunteer and feeling part of a community. This potent concoction, which we call Surf Therapy, offers an effective and scalable model that equips young people with resources to enjoy sustained good mental health. By reaching young people early we are playing a vital role in local mental health ecosystems across the country, easing pressure on statutory services.

We use surfing’s coolness and the enjoyment of the sport to attract young people and to keep them turning up. As surfing holds credibility among their peers, young people are proud to say that they surf with The Wave Project.

To find out more, please visit The Wave Project.