Special Needs Surfing Experience
Simon offers a ‘surfing experience’ to autistic children and other people with special needs. He has a son who has extreme autism, belongs to Disabled Surfing NZ and is involved with a parent trust called AIT (www.autisminterventiontrust.org.nz).
He is offering ‘Give it a go’ days - koha/donation appreciated - during the summer. If you are interested contact Simon to register with your name and phone numbers. The following date is proposed. Please note it will be weather/surf dependent.
11am 3rd March 2012 CANCELLED DUE TO BAD WEATHER new date pending….
Location: The very western end of Lyall bay (to your right when looking out to sea) right close to where the houses start.
Surfing helps these children to focus while having fun. It assists with concentration, co-ordination, motor skills, confidence and communication. Many of these children love the sea ‘water’ due to sensory issues so this provides a calming effect as they love the environment. So it is great therapy as the children are having fun, releasing stress while at the same time improving on many skills.
Simon is involved with Disabled Surfing NZ (who are currently developing guidelines for disabled surfing experience). Simon aims to provide a Surfing Experience to all (mental and physical) special needs. Many of these families with a special needs child are limited to what they can do recreationally, especially as a family unit all having fun together. So parents be expecting to don a wetsuit and participate!
Please contact Simon. 04: 972 7983
Sponsorship
Sponsorship from Wellington Airport ‘Wild at Heart’ have kindly provided an 11 foot tandem softtop board and 3 life jackets.
Venue: Western corner of Lyall Bay (Maranui End)
These special needs are ideally held when the surf is basically flat and very safe. We will be no more than waist deep.
Parents/care givers will be fully responsible for their children and be expected to be involved and assist in the water and with the surfing experience.
People are likely to be taking photos. Please advise if you do not wish your child’s photo to be used for publicity purposes.
Sponsor us
If you would like to sponsor running this program for these special needs surfing experience days please contact Simon. He would love to become more involved.
- Additional helpers on the day to get children into wetsuits/life jackets are appreciated. Please contact Simon if you would like to be of assistance.
- Equipment. Second hand warm wetsuits and/or any old Mals or surfboards. It doesn’t matter what condition as I can fix them up
- Assist with the cost of equipment or running of the day
Pic courtesy Dominion Post 2009
Clay Marzo aspergers and perhaps the best surfer on the planet. See link below:
http://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=clay%20marzo&source=web&cd=7&sqi=2&ved=0CFEQtwIwBg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D6mMLSFVuZQE&ei=8ocxT8mAOqiciAfK5PWEBQ&usg=AFQjCNH8F8khuKIRScsVudIb05XFNbOiqQ
