GET OUT: Why Ocean Access Matters

I founded GET OUT on a simple belief: that every young person deserves access to nature, especially the blue spaces that we are surrounded by where we live and have shaped so many of our own lives. Growing up by the coast myself, the sea was always a place to reset, to breathe, and to feel part of something bigger. But for most of the young people we work with in London, the ocean feels impossibly far away. Many have never left the city, let alone stood on a beach.

That’s why our second Youth Ocean Summit in North Devon, became such an important moment for us. It brought together a group of 28 young people from inner city London for a weekend of surfing, conversations, food, nature, and community. On paper, it was a residential trip. In practice, it became something much more: a catalyst for confidence, curiosity, environmental awareness and a sense of belonging.

GET OUT is a small London-based charity working in some of the UK's most economically challenged neighbourhoods. Our focus is simple: we use surfing, paddleboarding, and environmental education to connect young people with blue and green spaces, improving their wellbeing while strengthening their sense of belonging to nature and community. For many of our participants, day-to-day life is dominated by concrete, noise, overcrowding, and financial strain. Access to nature isn’t just limited, it's often entirely absent.

Surfing has become our way of opening that door. When a young person stands up on a board for the first time, you can almost see the shift happen. They begin to see themselves differently, and just as importantly, they see the ocean and our blue spaces differently.

At the Summit, those moments came thick and fast. The first morning on the beach always starts with a mix of nerves and excitement. For some, the sea was intimidating; for others, it was the first time they’d ever touched cold saltwater. But within minutes the awkwardness gave way to laughter, teamwork, and a kind of freedom that’s hard to find in the middle of a city.

What struck me most wasn’t how quickly they picked up surfing, but how quickly they connected with the environment around them. Young people who had never spoken about the ocean were suddenly asking questions about tides, pollution, and marine life. During our workshops, many said they hadn’t realised how connected we all are or that they’d never had the chance, or even the permission, to care about these things before. Once they experienced the ocean directly, all that changes.

That’s at the heart of the Summit and of GET OUT’s wider mission. We’ve learned that access leads to awareness, and awareness leads to stewardship. You cannot expect young people to protect something they’ve never been allowed to experience.

Away from the water, the Summit offered something equally valuable: space. Space to talk, to share stories, to explore ideas about nature, climate, and community. We put young people at the centre of every conversation, with minimal facilitation, because we wanted to hear their stories and solutions. Using a simple World Café format, we asked what stops young people from connecting with nature and what would help. Their answers were honest and sometimes confronting: too much screen time, fear of looking “out of place,” money worries, and not knowing where to start.

But when asked what would help them feel more connected, almost all of them said the same thing: “Just more chances to be outside.”

We finished the weekend with conversations about environmental action back in London. What can young people do in their own neighbourhoods? How can they tell their stories? Many ideas from the Summit will now shape our future work, including youth-led environmental projects and resources that help more young people access blue and green spaces.

To the Finisterre Foundation and all those who supported us, I’m grateful not just for the funding but for the alignment of values. They understand the power of cold water, community, connection and the importance of making these experiences accessible to the next generation.

As we packed up the van on the final day, one of the youngest participants stopped me and said, “I didn’t know we could do this.”

For me, that’s what GET OUT is about. Not creating surfers, but creating moments of belonging, confidence, and connection. And if those moments lead a young person to care a little more about the ocean and to see themselves as someone who has a place in nature then we’re moving in the right direction.

We’ll be back in North Devon in 2026 for our third Youth Ocean Summit, and we hope to expand our work beyond London. At GET OUT, we work from a simple truth: climate, society, wellbeing, nature, and culture are deeply connected. Every young person deserves the chance to feel part of that web. Yet too many grow up cut off from blue and green spaces. Our surf programme helps bridge that distance, giving young people the chance to feel the ocean for themselves and, in doing so, to become its future guardians.