Use skateboarding activities to break mental health stigma and build community connections through three simple group activities that anyone can participate in, regardless of skating experience.
"Welcome to the Skate Mind Project! Thank you for working with us to Push Past Stigma Globally! " - Adam Brown, Frank Watkins, and Sophia Ryder
Planning requires 2-3 hours, the event takes 3-4 hours, with 1-2 hours follow-up for social media sharing.
Plan and Prepare
Choose your location (public park, skate park, or school grounds) and gather your team of participants. Prepare materials including signs with the campaign hashtags #LetsTalkAboutWhatsNotVisible, #skatemind, promotional stickers, and activity guides.
Secure skateboards for participants—these can be personal boards, borrowed, or shared among the group. Plan which of the three activities (or all three) you'll include based on your group size and comfort level.
In the 'resources' section of this page, you''ll find a toolkit per activity. Use this to plan how each activity will run.
Gather Your Community
Invite family, friends, colleagues, and community members to participate, emphasising that no skateboarding experience is required. Recruit volunteers who can help beginners with balance and provide encouragement.
Brief all participants on the meaning behind each activity and the importance of the mental health message you're sharing. Ensure you have someone designated to take photos and videos throughout the activities.
Execute the Activities
Begin with "Taking the First Step"—have individuals stand on skateboards and push off gently while being photographed. Progress to "Standing Together" with multiple people standing on boards side-by-side, creating a visual symbol of solidarity.
Conclude with "Moving Forward Together" where participants stand on boards while others give gentle pushes, representing community support. Focus on creating meaningful moments rather than perfect skateboarding technique.
Capture and Share
Document each activity with photos and short videos, ensuring participants have signed media consent forms. Share content immediately on social media platforms using the designated hashtags.
Encourage participants to share their own posts with personal reflections about mental health awareness. Create a storytelling element by explaining the symbolism behind each activity in your captions.
Reflect and Connect
Facilitate a group discussion about the experience and its connection to mental health awareness. Encourage participants to share how the activities felt and what mental health support means to them.
Plan follow-up activities or regular meetups to maintain the community connections formed. Connect with other SkateMind groups globally through social media to share experiences and build a larger movement for mental health awareness.
