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It can be hard for young people in Tasmania to access mental health support, especially if they don’t seek help or they live in a rural or remote area.
Big hART, an arts and social change organisation, received a Healthy Focus grant for their project Skate of Mind. This project aimed to promote positive mental health and wellbeing for young people in northern Tasmania through pop-up events combining skateboarding, youth mental health first aid, and art.
Over 12 months from July 2023 to June 2024, Skate of Mind delivered 28 workshops and 11 community events, connecting with more than 850 young people and 500 community members across regional Tasmania.
For many young people, it was the first time they had tried skateboarding. The program provided a supportive environment and mentoring by professional skaters as well as art, music and nutritious meals.
One young man in Wynyard first heard about the event at school and came alone. He loved the first session so much that he brought his three siblings the next time.
Parents, older skaters and young people interacted in the activities, helping build a sense of inclusion and community connection.
Skate mentor Lachlan Rankin said that over the course of last 12 months, he had witnessed an incredible program which has young people coming back but also parents and older skaters. ‘A true intergenerational exchange with belonging to a community at its core,’ Lachlan said.