Evaluation of a surfing programme designed to increase personal well-being and connectedness to the natural environment among ‘at risk’ young people

ABSTRACT

Outdoor activities can be an important complement to classroom learning, especially for children/young people excluded, or at risk of exclusion, from mainstream schooling. The current research explored the impact of a 12-week surfing programme among such a group in the UK. Pre-post data on physiological health (heart rate (HR)/blood pressure), self-reported well-being (life and domain satisfaction), connectedness (e.g. to nature, school), environmental awareness (e.g. role of sand dunes) and teacher evaluations (e.g. behaviour) were collected. Results found significant drops in HR (suggesting improved fitness), increased satisfaction with appearance, more positive attitudes towards school and friendships, greater environmental awareness and more positive teacher evaluations, post-intervention. A lack of findings in other domains suggests these results were not due to participants simply conforming to demand characteristics. Overall, the results suggest that surfing interventions could have important benefits for vulnerable young people who struggle with mainstream schooling. The need for future research using control groups and longer term follow-up is discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Surfing intervention
• young people
• well-being
• bluespace
• Not in Education
• Employment, or Training (NEET)

Acknowledgments

This research has been part funded by Ecominds [Eco10032R], a funding scheme run by Mind on behalf of the BIG Lottery Fund. Further funding has come from Cornwall County Council and West Cornwall Youth Trust. We would like to thank all of the schools, teachers and teaching assistants who supported the programme, and also to the young people who took part in the research. We would also like to thank Global Boarders surf coaches, Chris Brown and Steve Hancock, and Abi Corcoran, and Simon Coley for help with data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research has been part funded by Ecominds [Eco10032R], a funding scheme run by Mind on behalf of the BIG Lottery Fund. Further research funding has come from Ecominds and West Cornwall Youth Trust funded the research.

Notes on contributors

Amanda Hignett

Amanda Hignett is a doctoral student at Plymouth University. Her research focuses on the health and well-being benefits of spending time in nature with a particular interest in the beneficial effects of nature on cognitive functioning.

Mathew P. White

Dr Mathew P. White is a senior lecturer in Psychology Applied to Health and the Environment. He researches people’s relationships with natural environments, with a particular focus on the coast and other aquatic settings.

Sabine Pahl

Dr Sabine Pahl is an associate professor (reader) in the School of Psychology at Plymouth University. Her research interests are social cognition, restorative effects of natural environments, and the psychology of sustainable attitudes and behaviour especially applied to energy and protecting the marine environment.

Rebecca Jenkin

Dr Rebecca Jenkin is a post-doctoral research assistant at the European Centre for Environment and Human Health. Her work focusses on the health and well-being benefits of natural environments on children’s health and well-being.

Mod Le Froy

Mod Le Froy is a director of GB Boardriders Community Interest Company and an outdoor educator and coach mentor working with the health and well-being sector.