Surfers have joined forces with a filmmaker and a mental health advocate to help young people cope with climate-change induced anxiety.
Through a new program, which started on the Gold Coast this week, Surfers for Climate provides free workshops at high schools, TAFEs, universities and community groups.
The climate-change focused charity has teamed up with with filmmaker and environmentalist Kal Glanznig and Cooper Chapman, a pro-surfer, mental health advocate and founder of the Good Human Factory, to help address eco-anxiety among young Australians.
Surfers for Climate CEO Josh Kirkman said eco-anxiety impacted two-thirds of young Australians’ mental health.
Mr Kirkman said the mental health of young people was being impacted by inaction on climate and continuing environmental impacts.
“They want to understand the solutions and what their role is in the rapid shift to renewable energy and a regenerative economy,” he said.
Mr Kirkman said the Blue Minds Youth Ocean Leadership Program was an initiative aimed at empowering and supporting youth in the face of climate challenges and included interactive sessions and practical tools for managing mental health, and strategies for environmental stewardship.
He said the free workshops would also be showcasing Mr Glanznig’s documentary, RISING UP with the aim to instill hope and motivate young Australians to take positive action for the environment.
Mr Chapman, an ex-professional surfer and leading mental health advocate, has already spoken to more than 40,000 through his work and said these workshops were designed to be engaging and practical, helping young people build resilience and take meaningful action for the environment.
The workshops kicked off on the Gold Coast on Tuesday (August 13) and will head to the Sunshine Coast, Townsville and Cairns until the end of October, before going national.
Learn more about the Blue Minds program.
