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OneWave Free the Funk School Tour - June 2024

OneWave is hitting the road in June, 2024 for the ‘Free the Funk’ School Tour, across Australia and New Zealand and we would love your school to be part of it. We aim to help bring more colour to mental health and provide 6,000 young people with mental health tips and tools they can use throughout their lives.

Free the Funk programs are available for Primary and Secondary Schools, and the programs are free for new schools, thanks to the amazing fund-raising efforts of the OneWave community and the support from our corporate partners.

Free the Funk School Tour dates

  • Australia: Thursday 30 May - Friday 14 June

  • New Zealand: Monday 17 June - Thursday 27 June

  • Complete the booking form below to book your school program.


What happens at the OneWave School Program?

OneWave delivers 'Free the Funk’ programs in primary and secondary schools to raise awareness of mental health. We know early prevention, connection and conversations save lives, so we bring colour to mental health and share tips and tools that young people can use throughout their lives.

FREE THE FUNK PROGRAM OUTLINE

What age group are the programs for? We provide Free the Funk Programs for Primary and Secondary schools.

Location - We can present at your school assembly or adapt to smaller groups.

Duration - 45 minutes:

  • We can run one program for the entire school or break it into two sessions for the different age groups.

  • We can run a shorter session if that works better for your school.

Example format of session:

  • Presentation from the OneWave team - raising awareness of mental health through saltwater therapy, surfing and fluro.

  • Learn tips and tools for taking care of your mental health.

  • Students get an opportunity to share their free the funk tips.

  • Q & A - students get a chance to ask the OneWave team questions.

Costs - Thanks to the amazing support of the OneWave community and our corporate partners, the school programs are free of charge for new schools. If your school has run a Free the Funk Program before, we would love the chance to visit you again - please complete the registration form below and be will be in touch to discuss program costs.

 

OneWave Free the Funk School Tour - Booking Confirmation Form

Complete the booking form below to register your school for a Free the Funk Program and we will contact you with more information. If you have any questions, you can email grant@onewaveisallittakes.com, or we are happy to jump on a call and talk you through the program. 

Thanks for helping bring more colour and awareness to mental health at your school.

 

Why are preventative mental health programs so important in schools?

Youth mental health is fast becoming a crisis with one in four Australian teenagers experiencing serious mental health issues that range from depression through to anxiety. Youth suicide rates are currently at the highest rate ever in the past 10 years, with suicide now officially recognised as the leading cause of death for young people aged 15-25. 

The long-term impact of experiencing mental health issues in these formative years is severe, with studies demonstrating continued negative effects on young people’s overall mental wellbeing and physical health even into early adulthood and beyond. 

Early intervention is critical, with research showing that more than 75% of mental health issues develop before the age of 25. These statistics demonstrate a need for greater investments in preventative mental health programs and increased access to community-based mental health services.

How will the OneWave School Program help students free the funk?

Through our school program and the opportunity to join other OneWave programs, young people will discover a brighter future where mental health is something they understand and are capable of successfully tackling with the support of those around them. Some of the tools and tips students will learn include:

  • How saltwater therapy, surfing and fluro can help you free the funk

  • Information on warning signs and symptoms of mental health challenges

  • It’s totally ok not to be ok and ask for help

  • Information on how to get professional mental health support

  • Actionable ways to proactively manage your mental health 

  • Tips to help you support your friends/family facing mental health challenges

  • Different recipes to help ‘free the funk’ including how to create a supportive mental health culture at your school

  • Many participants in our school programs and their peers also go on to become active participants in our weekly Fluro Friday sunrise sessions where they are empowered to share stories and waves with the OneWave community

OneWave School Experience Testimonial

"Instantly Grant captured the full attention of the boys who were blown away by his honesty and passion for letting the boys know that their Mental Health matters and it was ok to talk about it. Since Grant’s speech the students have felt more comfortable talking about their Mental Health, it has made our community stronger and we thank OneWave for their support."

School Counsellor/Phychologist, St Pauls Catholic College

“Last year OneWave ran the most amazing session with my Year 5 and 6 students at Clovelly Public school. Asking the kids how they free the funk has created some awesome conversations around mental health. I have recently started teaching at a Wilcannia Central School and since being out here, my Year 6 class celebrates fluro Friday every Friday morning in our Yarning circle. It has had the most amazing impact.”

Primary School Teacher, Clovely Public School and Wilcannia Central School

“I've seen so many veterans find healing through surf and saltwater programs. I was incredibly thrilled to witness the work that OneWave is doing in primary schools this morning - teaching kids in accessible language that it's ok not to be ok, that it's cool to talk about it, and how to help a mate who might be struggling... along with sharing wisdom about the power of the surf and connection with others to promote mental health. Prevention, early intervention, and destigmatisation, all wrapped up in a fantastic fluro package!!”

Assistant Director, Clinical Coordination (NSW) at Open Arms - Veterans & Families Counselling


OneWave School Program Partnership Opportunities

To date the OneWave School Program has reached 45,000 young people in Australia and New Zealand. If you are interested in partnering with OneWave to help us bring colour to mental health in more schools we would love to hear from you - Send an email to: grant@onewaveisallittakes.com.