We did it!5 months ago
Impact data and claims within this report are provided by the project creator and have not been independently verified by Spacehive.
Solace Surf Club will provide a space for teenage girls from the refugee community in the North of Tyne area to explore, play with and enjoy the therapeutic benefits of engagement with the North Sea.
Over 12 months we will deliver regular surf, skate and sea swimming sessions, for up to 8 refugee girls at a time who have been referred by our partner agency, Action Foundation. Your pledges will fund the cost of qualified and fully insured surf and skate coaches, travel expenses to help participants access the service and high quality & culturally appropriate equipment. Our specialised support will meet the individual needs of participants, many of whom struggle with anxiety and trauma to ensure they feel safe, nurtured and welcomed. Each session will connect the girls to the natural environment as a means of therapy both mentally and physically. A team of 6 volunteers from the local community will be recruited to assist during sessions and provide a friendly first link with the wider coastal community. This social connection will be further developed through an accompanying programme of community activity, open to all and including events such as beach cleans and film screenings.
What we'll deliver:
Why it's a great idea:
Enabling refugee teenagers to spend time in and around the North Sea will benefit the mental & physical health of one of the most disadvantaged groups in our community. Girls aged 13-19 are already an underrepresented group within the coastal community but the levels of trauma that these young people have come from and continue to face on a daily basis means that the barriers they face are far greater than we can ever imagine The North Sea and North East coastline is an amazing natural resource for all the people in the North East. Through removing barriers to participation we aim to build a more diverse coastal community that is fully representative of those who live in the North East. Developing a team of volunteers and an inclusive community programme will bring different groups of people together in new ways. Community activities will bring people together to protect and improve our shared natural environment, through clearing litter and debris from our local beaches.
Steps to get it done:
Legacy is an important part of this project. We anticipate that following the project the girls will have the increased confidence, skills and peer support to be able to access the coastal environment by themselves and to feel a part of the wider coastal community. Equipment obtained during this project will continue being used by the CIC for more disadvantaged and underrepresented groups. Our team of volunteers will be registered and trained with Action Foundation as part of the project, with future volunteer opportunities To help raise wider awareness, increase inclusivity & representation we will create a film and a series of photographs which can be shown at events within our own community and beyond. They will also have immense value to project participants as a keepsake and tangible connection to their new home.
Gallery
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Brilliant news, thanks everyone!
Whoop, 110 people have pledged since fundraising began!
Whoop, 100 people have pledged since fundraising began!
Bringing together people and opportunities to create vibrant communities
How will the money be spent?Target (inc. fees) £17,487
Costs Breakdown
This shows how money raised for the project will be spent. These costs have been confirmed by the project's Delivery Manager and verified.
Overfunding
This project is enabled for overfunding. If the project hits its funding goal before the end of the campaign period, any extra funds raised will be spent (in order of priority) on:
Target (inc. fees) £17,487
Our Volunteer List
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VolunteerYonder is a family collaboration between long time east coast surfer and Finisterre Ambassador Sally McGee and her husband, surfer, skate coach and professional photographer Tom Bing.
While Community is at the absolute core of what we do, our work began with a lack of community. As a professional surfer, Sally was often the only woman in the sea, and one of less than 5 women surfers in the UK. Determined to change the culture and narrative, she founded Surf Yonder and over ten years has been the driving force behind a revolution in the UK’s swimming and surfing. She has created a strong community of women surfers and sea swimmers in the process.
Yonder Surf Academy is the CIC arm of Yonder with a mission to inspire and support marginalised women and girls to build confidence, self-esteem and positive mental health. The CIC was set up to be able to locate funding to offer lessons, coaching and courses to women and girls in the community who might not otherwise have the opportunity. We recognise that accessing the ocean and surfing can have many barriers and we wanted to remove the financial barrier whilst working hard on all other aspects to create a welcoming and open space for our participants. We work closely with accredited and fully insured surf schools and skate coaches to carry out the sessions.
Sally’s hard work has created this thriving community, and we are delighted to have their support and guidance in our work. We have a board made up of community members, participants, and partners who input into our work, who act as a community steering committee. We conduct an annual survey to understand the impact of our work. It has been through the enthusiasm and encouragement of the community that we have expanded from small groups to more community event organising. This enables us to bring in a wider range of people, and has had a hugely positive response.
Project Owner: Yonder Surf Academy CIC The Project Owner takes legal responsibility for receiving and spending the funds raised and ensuring the project is delivered.
