CAPE TOWN-Young and old are encouraged to raise awareness on mental health at Muizenberg’s beach this coming weekend.
The event, which is described as an Immersion Session, will celebrate World Mental Health Day, commemorated annually on 10 October.
The gathering is being organised by Waves4Change (WC), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded in 2009.
World Mental Health Day will be celebrated on Muizenberg’s beach on Saturday 11 October. Young and old are encouraged to raise awareness on mental health this coming weekend. The event, which is described as an Immersion Session, will celebrate World Mental Health Day which is commemorated annually on 10 October. Read more on page 3 Photo: Supplied 
The immersion session is being organised by Waves for Change (WC).
The NGO uses a surf therapy programme as a tool for building resilience, confidence and mental well-being.
The awareness forms part of their “You’re Right on Time” campaign which highlights the importance of timely intervention during the “second window of neurological opportunity” (ages 9-14), said WC site manager Tony Gubeza.
“With nine out of 10 young people in South Africa lacking access to vital mental health support, the need for intervention is urgent. As World Mental Health Day approaches on Friday, Waves for Change is emphasising this critical issue and offering hope to young people growing up in high-stress environments. Unicef says the first 1 000 days of a person’s life are vital for socio-emotional development. Young people need access to safe spaces, away from all this violence, where they can develop the coping skills they need to have positive futures.”
Since the group’s inception in 2009, altogether 12 091 adolescents have experienced W4C’s Surf Therapy programme.
Gubeza says the research they conducted on the alarming number of teens witnessing violence and drug abuse, inspired their surf therapy venture.
“They feel they belong to a supportive peer group, develop new social skills and master adaptive ways to manage stress, all while having fun! Down the line, there is a reduction in risky behaviour, improvement in impulse and emotive control, physiology such as heart rate variability improves, and participants experience healthier relationships with peers, teachers and caregivers. These outcomes support participants to finish school, reject anti-social behaviour and gang involvement, and plan for positive futures,” he said.
The Surf Therapy programme is a 10-month mental well-being programme for adolescents in underserved communities.
The Immersion Session on World Mental Health Day also marks the start of W4C’s annual fundraising campaign.
One of their biggest challenges are keeping everyone energised when the communities or adolescents they work with are going through so much stress at home.
“This is the very first session in W4C’s curriculum and involves children walking hand in hand into the ocean and pausing to ask one another, ‘Are you okay?’ This powerful exercise instils a culture of respect, protection, and communication, teaching children to build trust, share feelings, and keep one another safe without taking them beyond their comfort zone.”
An amount of R200 will provide access to a child’s inclusive Surf Therapy session, R500 will contribute meaningfully to a W4C coach’s stipend, while a donation of R1 000 helps pay for the services of a debrief psychologist.
. For more information contact Siya Mahomba at siya@mango-omc.com.
