Waves for Change look for Partners in Africa

Launched in 2011, Waves for Change is an award-winning organisation based in Cape Town led by surfers and mental health professionals. Waves for Change (W4C) work with local stakeholders to develop and deliver evidence-based learn-to-surf programmes to alleviate symptoms of trauma in at-risk youth, with additional proven benefits to wellbeing, behaviour and school attachment.

W4C programmes develop sustainable, locally-owned surf culture in communities where surfing never existed and are designed for first-time water users. The cape-town based organisation specialise in bringing ‘surf-therapy’ to communities where existing surfing and ocean skills are few.

Waves for Change are now looking for People passionate about Surf Therapy. The organisation are looking for Federations, NGO’s, CBO’s, Faith-based organisations, Schools or Formalised Community Groups that are interested in starting or growing after-school surfing programmes to improve the wellbeing of at-risk youth.

The Offering?

A 24 month, 25,000 USD, support package that includes:

• Training to your organisations’ management to use W4C Curriculum & Evaluation Tool
• Training to adapt W4C curriculum and trainings to your context.
• Training to staff & volunteers to deliver surf therapy programmes to youth.
• Salary / Stipends for management & coaches.
• Surf and Swim training for coaches (if working in a non-surfing community)
• Financial support for surfing equipment
• Impact assessment and fundraising consultancy to grow your organisation
• Twice annual programme visits and weekly on-call assistance

This year W4C will have capacity to work with at least 1 partner. The Successful applicant(s) will:

1. Be operating in / have access to township & informal oceanside communities. No more than 3km from the beach.
2. Have a management team / access to a management team with experience delivering youth programmes.
3. Have a network / have acces to locally-based volunteers or staff with swimming experience (surfing preferable, but not essential).
4. Have working relationships with / capacity to develop relations with local community groups, schools, ward-councils and sports federations.
5. Applicants who demonstrate ability to capture and report on data will be given preference. (Attendance minimum standard)
6. Applicants demonstrating ability to raise funds and report on expenditure will be given preference.

If you are interested in partnering with W4C in 2016, please send a 2-page letter of interest to [email protected] by June 30th 2016. The letter should expand on items 1-6 and answer the question ‘How will you build off of support from Waves for Change? How will your program evolve from year one to year three?’