Did you know that 50% of mental health problems are established by age 14?
We did, and therefore we created our Girls Who Skate project.
Our Girls Who Skate programme was a unique, 35-week initiative designed to empower young females and non-binary youth, aged 11-17, by combining mental health awareness with skateboarding skills. Hosted at the St. Andrews Youth Hub, this programme provided a safe space where participants could spend an hour each week learning valuable mental health strategies, followed by two hours of skateboarding instruction. This combination gave them an exciting and healthy outlet to express themselves, build resilience, and gain confidence.
Guided by our dedicated team, participants learned skateboarding skills step-by-step, mastering techniques and facing fears one trick at a time. They also developed mental health skills, from managing stress to building self-esteem, equipping them with tools to face life’s challenges.
"Skateboarding taught me to face my fears, one trick at a time, but the mental health sessions helped me believe in myself off the board too,"_ shared Leila, age 15. "We learned techniques for handling stress, like breathing exercises and grounding, and talked about things that affect us every day, like periods, cultural pressures, exams, and more. The instructors were amazing—they really listened to us and helped us focus on our own strengths. The best part was being able to use what we learned in the mental health sessions while we were skating, like staying calm when trying a hard trick or reminding myself that I could do it. I feel so much stronger and more confident in myself now, not just in skating but in life."
Beyond skateboarding, we organised game nights featuring pool, table tennis, and card games, and even a special trip to the theatre, creating a sense of community and belonging. This programme was all about fostering confidence, mental well-being, and camaraderie.
Check out the full video on our YouTube channel to see their journey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcjNHx8hRAs&t=3s
Comments