Last week, our team attended the 2025 International Surf Therapy Organization (ISTO) Conference at Lost Shore Surf Resort in Scotland.

This year’s theme, Beyond Surfing, encouraged participants to explore how Surf Therapy intersects with community psychology to physical activity and lifestyle.

Sharing our findings with the global Surf Therapy community

As the UK’s leading Surf Therapy charity, The Wave Project was honoured to present alongside Dr Jamie Marshall from Edinburgh Napier University and our own Research & Impact Manager, Tim Trythall. Together, they shared new insights from the study “From Shoreline to Selfhood: Long-Term Reflections on The Wave Project.”

This ongoing research, generously funded by The Prudence Trust, explores how Surf Therapy continues to shape young people’s mental health, identity and coping strategies years after completing our programme.

Through in-depth interviews conducted an average of six years post-programme, participants described The Wave Project as a space where they first experienced genuine acceptance, confidence and hope. Many spoke about how the sense of belonging and self-belief they found in the waves stayed with them long after their sessions ended, influencing education, relationships and overall wellbeing.

One participant told Dr Marshall: “The fact that I’m here is actually one of those things… there was a point that I don’t know if that would have been the outcome if I hadn’t done The Wave Project and experienced everything that came along with it.”

We see how Surf  Therapy offers young people not just a moment of relief, but a foundation for long-term growth on beaches (and other blue spaces) across the UK every day.

Why this research matters

While short-term benefits of Surf Therapy, such as increased confidence and social connection, are well-documented, this study suggests that Surf Therapy can play a lasting role in shaping young people’s identities and life trajectories, helping them to build resilience, form deep social bonds and develop practical coping skills they carry into adulthood.

As the field of Surf Therapy continues to grow worldwide, research like this is vital. It provides evidence that participant-led, consistent interventions can have profound long-term effects and challenges us to think beyond medicalised approaches to mental health.

Looking ahead

While the need for early mental health intervention continues to rise, funding for charities like ours is becoming harder to secure. At The Wave Project, we currently support around 2,500 young people each year but there are thousands more who could benefit from Surf Therapy.

If you believe in creating spaces where young people can feel better, belong and build confidence, please consider supporting our major donor campaign or making a donation today. Together, we can keep saving young lives through Surf Therapy.