The Kingscliff community will be encouraged to boost their mental fitness thanks to a five-way partnership led by Surfing NSW with funding from the NSW Government’s Mental Health Sports Fund.
Member for Tweed Geoff Provest said the ‘Surfing Mental Health 360’ program will bring together Surfing NSW, Batyr, Waves of Wellness, Man Anchor and the Rise Foundation to deliver programs aimed at boosting the mental health and wellbeing within the surfing community and beyond.
“This initiative will help connect boardriders’ clubs, surf schools and high schools to trusted mental health organisations that can help them build resilience and improve wellbeing,” Mr Provest said.
“Surfing has a great way of bringing people together and this program will help people start conversations and educate the community about when it’s time to reach out for specialist help.”
Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said the collaborative approach would make sure that Surfing 360 had a wide reach.
“All of these organisations bring their own skills, lived experience and existing trusted connections to the table to ensure that this program can have an even greater impact than the sum of its parts,” Mrs Taylor said.
Surfing NSW CEO Luke Madden said the program will help the partners to start more conversations about the impacts of drought, bushfires and COVID-19.
“Now, more than even, we need to come together as a community and create time for these important, courageous conversations about mental wellbeing and resilience.”