An Exploration of the Experiences of Vulnerable Young People Participating in a Stand‐Up Paddle‐Boarding Therapy Course: A Phenomenological Study

Nature‐based interventions have been advocated as an approach to support mental health and well‐being in young people. The Wave Project, a United Kingdom–based charity, has an established surf therapy intervention for vulnerable children and adolescents which has been demonstrated to have a positive impact on mental health and well‐being. However, this intervention provides challenges in terms of accessibility for young people located away from the coast. Stand‐up paddle‐boarding is an aquatic activity which can be conducted on inland waters, which therefore has the potential to address this barrier. Semistructured interviews ( n = 6) utilizing video and photo elicitation were conducted with young people participating in a 5‐week stand‐up paddle‐boarding course delivered on a canal in a central city location in the south‐west of England. Transcripts were analyzed using a qualitative phenomenological approach. Participants reported engaging in paddle‐boarding induced a feeling of calmness and provided respite from preoccupations of school and other concerns. The support provided by instructors and volunteers gave them a sense of both physical and psychological safety which provided them with the confidence to master a new skill. This experience increased their self‐confidence and self‐esteem as well as reducing social anxiety and feelings of anger. The findings suggest that a stand‐up paddle‐boarding course may confer mental health and well‐being benefits for vulnerable young people. The ability to deliver this intervention on a canal in the center of a city increases its accessibility to young people living inland.