A mentorship programme aimed at vulnerable youth in Vryground and surrounds teaches life skills and leadership development through surfing.
Founder of the Local Surf Lounge Academy (LSLA) Shaun Solomons says he established the initiative after he was retrenched due to Covid-19 in July 2020.
“I have been working with the youth since 2015 as their surfing project manager for an International volunteering project.
They closed their doors and with that came my retrenchment.
“At that time, most of the surfing outreach programmes had closed down and I saw the children going back to the streets and mixing with gangsters in and around my community.”
Solomons says he knew of the dangers awaiting the youth as he too was a victim as a young man.
“With that in mind I then took my savings and started the Local Surf Lounge Academy. I changed the approach of the Academy to not just limit to surfing but the well-being of the youth I work with.”
Having experienced the benefits of surfing Solomons chose to use it as a tool to help others.
“Using the ocean as a form of physical and mental challenges, fighting wave after wave knowing the benefit of being able to ride the wave.
“Like in life, difficult situations, but if we fight/work hard enough we will benefit the rewards.”
He added that surfing is a multi-million rand sport with many opportunities for the youth.
“If they can’t make it in life to be a professional competitive surfer they can become a judge, surf coach, lifeguard swimming teacher, fisherman etc.
“They all want to surf so it is a tool I also use to mentor them to be a better positive person in our society,” says Solomons.
The academy which is child centered works with a family first approach.
“We have seen a great impact on kids, from being on the streets sniffing glue doing bad things, to now being looked at as role models in their communities by younger kids.
“We have parents reaching out to us to enrol their kids but we are limited due to funds and high rent.”
Covid-19 brought along many challenges for the academy and children.
“Lockdown was very hard for us and the kids as they were forced to be at home in a house where they don’t even have their own space.
“Also being around substance abuse on a day to day basis normalising this to the kids was bad.”
With equipment sponsored by Solomons previous employer, the only funding is through the support of friends and family.
“We have no equipment sponsors but I was donated the used equipment from my previous employer.
We need all the help we can get to continue with our programme,” says Solomons.
Shane Lentoor, development manager at LSLA, says the programme operates as a centre to assist at-risk youth in Vrygrond, Overcome Heights, Seawinds, Steenberg and Muizenberg.
“My role is to provide organisational and technical support relating to programme development management and implementation.”
The programme operates as a “drop-in centre” for destitute and at-risk youth Monday to Wednesday 9:30 am to 3:30pm.
“In the afternoon we have a child-safe group Monday night to Wednesday from 16:00 to 18:00. The ages are 15 to 18 years and 10 to 14 years.”
Lentoor says the challenges children face in their communities range from abuse and neglect to sex and gang grooming, destitution, drug and alcohol abuse as well as emotionally absent parents.
“We try to create a safe space away from their communities to build their resilience and socially integrate our participants into previously privileged communities like Muizenberg to access the surf spots without discrimination and profiling towards an alternative lifestyle, one that’s different to their current lifestyle.”
The LSLA programme consists of Life skills, leadership development, hygiene, advance surf training, beginner surf training and nature walks.
“We also teach them to do their own laundry, have a place to shower and we feed them one meal a day.”
For more information on the programme or donors wishing to donate equipment can contact Shane Lentoor on 079 9000 783.
