Surfing is one of our favourite things. There’s nothing in the world like paddling across a big sparkly ocean, of flying across a turquoise wave at first light. The sweet feel of all that quiet, when the rest of the world just drops away.
We love the calm that surfing brings us, on our finest days and on those other days, when our lives are being a bit more difficult to navigate.
So when we discovered the life-changing work of local charity Ocean Mind, we knew that we’d found something very special which we immediately wanted to support.
Ocean Mind is a therapeutic surf program for young people experiencing mental health issues, disabilities and social isolation. Rachael Parker, Ocean Mind’s CEO and Founder, set up this groundbreaking program on Victoria’s Surf Coast in 2016 as an important alternative to traditional mental health services.
The program trains up local surfers to help young people reduce anxiety and improve their emotional health. Rachael explains that the ethos of Ocean Mind is completely participant-led.
“We have an incredible team of local volunteer mentors that work with the young people participating in the program, teaching them to surf and developing supportive relationships.
The program has been so successful that there’s now a massive increase in demand for our services, so we’ve doubled what we normally do. We’ve gone from 17 young people on a waiting list last season to 78 this season!”
The beautiful beaches of the Surf Coast and the amazing team at Ocean Mind create a safe environment for young people to challenge themselves, create new friendships and build new skills.
We are so proud to support the life-changing work of Rachael and her team. We help to provide natural sun protection for the young people participating in the program.
“Winki Zinc brings down product for us to use with the young people, which means that we have added protection for them. It’s an amazing product and an amazing company with great sustainability values. The colours are also really cool!” says Rachael.
Ocean Mind has created a unique and wonderful community surf movement. The program continues to transform young peoples’ lives through surfing and spending time in the ocean. Find out more and get involved at www.oceanmind.org.au
Image credit: Alexander Shore Photography
