Vans presents the new surf documentary, “Breaking Boundaries: A Surfboard Drive for Trinidad & Tobago.” Breaking Boundaries spotlights pro surfer and our co-founder Chris Dennis and his ongoing efforts to provide underserved youth in his native country with access to the same escape he credits with saving his life - surfing.
Through close friends and Vans family members Dylan Graves, the Gudauskas brothers’ and their Positive Vibe Warriors Foundation, Chris hosted a surfboard drive for Trinidad & Tobago and collected over 200 surfboards.
Building on this support, our NGO Waves for Hope was born in 2019. Our program is not only providing a recreational platform in the ocean for kids, but is literally saving lives by keeping the local youths off the streets and teaching them positive relationships and tools to cope with stress.
As a result of the Board Drive, the interest in surfing has grown throughout the community, kids have a way to express themselves positively and creatively, as well as a means of staying out of trouble.
Watch the full movie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSNqRGZvWIY
Watch the full movie including Q&A session here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSFF2qU-YMk
Our goal with surf therapy is to help kids and youths in Trinidad develop skills to cope with stress and trauma, and help them develop positive self identities. Our surf therapy programs provide young people with the opportunity to practice new behaviours and coping skills that can improve the way they deal with the impact of stress.
We know we cannot change the situation that the children live in, but we can give
them the tools to cope more effectively with the challenges they face every day.