Who are we?

Soweto Surf is a proudly South African entity, created to open doors for the deserving youth of Soweto – through skating, surfing and mentorship programmes. These young individuals are carefully chosen based on their values and commitment

to being change-makers in their community.

Not only are we committed to tackling common issues in the township like social exclusion and poverty, but we also encourage participation of sports

to keep young people off the streets.

During our early days, we’ve managed to hold conversations with major stakeholders in Soweto, regarding the importance of skateboarding in our to get the sport the recognition it needs as a public resource, so potential investors can partner with us in bringing a lasting and meaningful change.

Soweto Surf places much emphasis on making alternative / extreme sports more accessible, promoting cultural identity, teaching life skills and providing excellent service delivery in our mentorship programmes.

As a newly registered NPC established in 2020, we seek to collaborate with community stakeholders, local/international brands and private or government partners… All with the goal of creating a cost-efficient and youth-centred mentorship programme for deserving individuals in Soweto.

Our weekend based boot-camp consists of skateboarding lessons, swimming lessons, and mentorship sessions hosted by experienced coaches who are highly passionate about the wellbeing & development of young people.

We’ve helped introduce them to skateboarding and supported this passion by investing in resources – such as transport, food, skills development, skateboards, on-going mentorship and a surfing trip to Cape Town – to deliver an impactful,

incentivised mentorship programme.

SKATEBOARDING

FOR

CHANGE

Over nearly two decades after South Africa’s first democratic election,

the realities young people are facing in the country still remain as troubling as ever.

We continue to see people dealing with difficult issues like having unequal educational opportunities, lack of resources, unemployment and poverty – which often leads to bigger problems like alcohol or drug abuse. This is particularly true for areas such as Soweto, where many young people are born at-risk of being stuck in a vicious generational cycle that is hard to break.

While the country’s economic and technological progress is evident for the rest of the world to see, the struggle for a better quality of life for Soweto’s youth is still far from coming to an end.

OUR MISSION

Our goal is to harness healthy minds through alternative sports

and create a better future for the township youth.

wHAT WE DO

Soweto Surf works in partnership with local members of the community to identify deserving youth and invite them to our exciting skateboarding boot-camp, which offers participants a mentoring opportunity that leads to a surfing experience in Cape Town.

Within this boot-camp we try our best to develop healthy mindsets for those young individuals, to prevent them from falling into the wrong behavioural patterns that some may fall victim to because of their surroundings.

WHAT WE STRIDE FOR

We’ve always strived to help other see the world in a better light, as well as the endless possibilities that come with it. Especially those living under difficult circumstances. Which is why Soweto Surf’s delivery mechanism focuses on an improved quality of life, under the umbrella of Global Citizenship.

WITH THIS APPROACH WE INTEND TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING:

• Deliver an impactful all-round mentorship programme that requires both mental and physical participation

• Make extreme / alternative sports more accessible to underprivileged youth

• Offer activities using the positive fundamentals of skateboarding culture and reapply them in a constructive, supportive and memorable way

• Improve happiness & self-confidence levels of the youth from harsh backgrounds

What Our Grind Can Achieve

Our skateboarding & surfing mentorship programme has helped bridged the gap between the youth from disadvantaged families in Soweto and the opportunities that some of them might never attain, due to their lack of resources.

THESE ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE:

• A supportive peer group

• Access to mentors and caring adults

• Access to extreme  and alternative sports, locally .

• A surf experience in Cape Town

• Experience of local tourism known as Sho’t Left

• An opportunity to become a Soweto Surf Brand Ambassador