A NEW project to provide surfing lessons to young people with mental health problems is proving to be a great success at Bigbury.

The Wave Project began in 2010, when the Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust funded a six-week pilot scheme to examine the benefits of surfing on the ­emotional well-being of young ­people who are already accessing professional services.

The pilot project used a psychological evaluation to assess whether six weeks of surfing helped the young people, who were referred by a range of services, including child and adolescent mental health ­services, social services and mental health charities.

The results of the pilot showed that going surfing once a week helped clients feel more confident, improved their outlook and gave them a sense of fun.

Encouraged by the results, the Wave Project was established as a not-for-profit company. Further funding was obtained, initially from BBC Children In Need and later from the Big Lottery Fund and other funders, enabling the project to grow.

The Wave Project now has seven other such schemes around the UK, all using the same methods employed by the original pilot in Cornwall, ­getting local surfers to work with clients and teaching them to surf.

Most importantly, the sessions are free of any pressure to succeed: clients work at their own pace and achieve their own goals. They can work one-on-one with their mentor or get more involved with the group. The ethos is to be totally client-led. The role of the surf mentor is to encourage and enable, not to push clients towards an arbitrary goal.

This approach reduces anxiety and allows clients to feel empowered, enabling them to overcome challenges and develop a sense of pride in their achievements.

The project takes referrals from professionals, working with vulnerable children and young people, and also runs private lessons for schools, charities and companies. Regular referrers include the NHS, social services, mental health services, GPs, family support services, counsellors and children’s charities.

The Wave Project is scheduling two six-week sessions a year at Bigbury, having secured Lottery funding through to 2017.

Volunteer coordinator Ben Evans said: ‘I was involved in the first ­session, now I’m coordinating the volunteers, working with the Discovery Surf School.

‘At the start the kids are quite nervous, quiet and shy. Then, after their first session, they have big smiles; then they develop friendships and their confidence grows.

‘They grow calmer as they gain a sense of identity and a new skill.

‘The highlight for me is definitely seeing the change in the kids from day one – seeing them become more outgoing and happy.

‘I know that, if I have a stressful day at work and then go surfing, I’ll feel calmer afterwards. I’m just happy to be able to share this.’

The Wave Project is now looking for volunteers to get involved in surfing, fundraising and driving to help transport people to Bigbury.

If anyone would like to volunteer or refer a young person to the ­project, call 01872 248322, or for ­further information visit the website at www.waveproject.co.uk.