WAVES FOR CHANGE

  
Waves for Change was founded in 2011 to plug the gap in the provision of primary social care and emotional support to vulnerable young adults growing up in South Africa’s most violent communities.

Through partnerships with local universities and research institutions, W4C found many young South Africans suffer from acute emotional / psychological stress, arising from continued exposure to violence and poverty. This causes behavioural or learning difficulties that lead to young people being socially excluded.

Surfing was found to offer genuine therapeutic benefits that improved feelings of psychological wellbeing. Where extra social support was needed, locally trained W4C coaches were able to offer the necessary emotional support and social guidance that oversubscribed social services were unable to provide.

Today, Waves for Change offers award winning Surf Therapy programmes that reach over 400 children, parents and teachers annually (2016).