Discussion about entry: "Help Communities Connect Surfing and Sustainable Development"
This is discussion about "Help Communities Connect Surfing and Sustainable Development".
This is discussion about "Help Communities Connect Surfing and Sustainable Development".
Comments
I am new to the changemakes site. I see this forum as a great way to connect and learn from each other. For more information on what our organization does check out: www.WAVESforDevelopment.org. Just recently, WAVES members have translated it into French and Spanish!
WAVES stands for:
Water
Adventure
Voluntourism
Education
Sustainability
With coastlines defining an important geographic dimension of so many nations, Dave, you've certainly identified a sport--surfing--and a set of goals that can change the world for the better. My only resevation is suggested by the great number of objectives that you've identified for WAVES for Development. To use surfing to enhance local levels of education, establish sustainable tourism, improve coastal ecology, remove social barriers, and do all of this simultaneously in multiple sites around the world is astounding. You and your colleagues clearly don't lack for ambition. I don't relish the role of cynic-pessimist, but I wonder if you may have to scale back a few of your goals and give yourselves a bit longer to accomplish them.
Despite the fact that your reach may exceed your grasp, I genuinely admire all that you've set out to do.
Steve Byars
Marshall School of Business
University of Southern California
Hello Steve,
Thank you for sharing your perspective. It is true that we our setting some lofty goals for ourselves. We believe that through surfing we are able to weave a connection between environmental conservation, life skills for local youth, social entrepreneurship and sustainable tourism. How do we plan on doing that? Educational Surf and Adventure Voluntourism programs. This February we'll be starting in one community in Northern Peru - a magical place called Lobitos. For the 2-weeks of the pilot program a number of international volunteers will teach English, surf and talk about this 'Earth Connection'. (In addition to our website: www.WAVESforDevelopment.org - www.EarthSessions.com has info on a surfari - Adventure Voluntourism in action!) Based on these experiences, we will evaluate and move forward. As we say in Peru - poco a poco... as we say in the US - go big or go home! We're in this for the long haul. Thanks again for sharing.
Dave,
I LOVE this!! I am a sucky, but aspiring surfer and think you have something here. I would suggest a micro-franchise model (do a search for microfranchise for more info: http://topics.developmentgateway.org/microfinance/rc/ItemDetail.do?intcm...)
I think you have a great concept, a brand identity, and you could partner with local organizations with similar values - I know of a few in Brazil for example, but have to track down their contact info - and have them "buy" into the franchise and thereby achieve your scale? Did you see the other surf entry that was entered?
Best of luck - looking forward to following your progress!
ZC
Hey Ziba,
Thanks for the suggestion! I did a quick search and it looks like a super interesting concept quite applicable to what we hope to accomplish over the next few years as we expand our programs from Peru. Partnering with local organizations is definitely the way to go... I'll try to find the other full surf entry - what I found was the director of a program in Costa Rica - very cool. Thanks again for the comments - I'll surely be hitting the research trail for more info on micro-franchising.
let there be WAVES!
Bravo Steve,
I see that you've set out for some admirable goals. Surfing is a relatively costly sport which make it less accessible for those in the lower income levels, however, the surfing industry has spurred tourism sites, board making and servicing boards. I think aside from just having the students surf perhaps to ally with the surf industry to provide vocational training for these children, many of whom will not graduate high school as you mention. I am not aware of how developed the surfing industry is in Peru or the other potential sites you mention, however, with such training, these students can become a part of creating a robust surfing industry in their respective countries. Take a look at the Grael Project from Brazil, they take an even more prohibitive sport of sailing and have instituted a vocational training model that has proven to be highly effective for them. http://changemakers.net/en-us/node/2780
It's fabulous to see surfing represented here, keep up the good work!
Tyler Ahn
Changemakers
Hi Steve,
Really exciting entry! I hope that you will consider entering our "Geotourism" competition that we're hosting with National Geographic. The competition launches on Jan.30th and this "voluntourism" fits perfectly!
Keep up the great work.
Dana
Changemakers
Dear Dave:
Thank you for participating in this collaborative competition. We value the time and effort you’ve put forth and we would like to offer you feedback and some thought provoking questions from our Evaluation Team.
The multi-faceted approach of WAVES for Development, engaging communities through surf education, tourism, and local development, makes its model unique and innovative. While the project is very new and has not had any impact yet, there is a detailed and comprehensive plan for social impact across a variety of social, economic, and environmental areas. The scalability potential of WAVES for Development is significant. While the plan for diversified funding is promising in terms of sustainability, it could exceed the capacity of the organization given that it is volunteer-run.
Please use this input as both potential insights into your innovations, as well as constructive ideas for how to improve or grow your organization.
Warm regards,
The Changemakers Evaluation Team
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