Grupo SURF
Grupo SURF (Siempre Unidos para Reforzar nuestro Futuro) is a youth driven community-based organization with the mission to empower youth as integral agents of change in the sustainable development of their communities. SURF is founded on the belief that youth are key resources in creating responsible community development to build a healthier future.
SURF operates their capacity-building programs from Bahia Ballena-Uvita, Osa, which is located in a region that includes 149,808 hectares of protected areas including three national parks, two reserves, a wildlife refuge and a marine national park. However, the diverse sets of ecosystems that are found around these protected areas are currently being threatened by unregulated tourism, pollution, illegal extraction of floral and fauna, as well as commercial and real estate development.
SURF’s programs build local capacity and allow youth the opportunity to:
- learn about good conservation practices
- produce solutions to overly destructive development
- and share their solutions with community members and visitors alike
The SURF Program
SURF is based on the education methodology:
Tell me, I’ll forget; Show me and I may remember; Engage me and I’ll understand.
Members of Grupo SURF participate in hands-on activities around their coastal town, which allow them to gain a deeper understanding of their community, its needs and the steps they can take to bring about positive change. SURF participants learn GIS and GPS mapping skills in order to create comprehensive maps of the greater Bahia Ballena region. They go on excursions into the Marino Ballena National Park to learn about whale migration and coral reefs, receive surf lessons while developing ocean awareness, and visit their coastal mountains to learn about the origin of their town’s potable water.
The SURF program is divided into modules called “The Four Waves”. Each wave contains trainings, workshops, and extra-curricular activities that engage students with their community and marine protected area; the program also encourages self-awareness and connects youth to their community, environment, and peers. After surfing the Four Waves, youth become SURF mentors for future SURF generations, ensuring the sustainability of the program and living the knowledge and skills developed throughout their participation during the program.
Strategic Alliances
KETO Foundation
The KETO Foundation is a “non-profit organization focused on the study of biology, management and conservation of marine and coastal resources.” The KETO – Duke University – SURF partnership empowers youth through marine education and interactive excursions such as snorkeling, whale watching, and beach clean-ups, providing youth the opportunity to engage and build a relationship with their Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
Bahia Aventuras
Bahia Aventuras is a boat and nature tour operator in located in the Uvita-Bahia Ballena area. Bahia Aventuras provides SURF with opportunities to study the marine life in their community with boat tours and other excursions into the protected areas.
Bodhi Surf School
Bodhi Surf School in Bahia Ballena-Uvita provides surf lessons and surfing vacations for individuals, families and small groups. Through surfing we hope to further connect SURF youth to their marine protected area and help them build ocean awareness.
Outside the Lens
Outside The Lens (OTL) is a San Diego-based organization that works to “engage, educate and empower youth on issues affecting the world today” by promoting youth literacy through the arts. SURF has partnered with OTL to bring dynamic photography and multimedia projects into the SURF curriculum that encourage students to reflect on the role they play in their community.
La Cusinga Lodge
La Cusinga is a “coastal rainforest eco lodge dedicated to marine and terrestrial conservation and environmental education.” La Cusinga maintains private trails to primary rainforest through which they lead SURF students on educational walks. Staff also teach SURF students about sustainable hotel operations.
GISETC
GISETC has spent the last ten years providing workshops, software and curricula for both educators and students. GISETC provides SURF students with GPS hand units and teaches the students how to use GIS and GPS mapping techniques as a tool to map their community’s resources.
Holbrook Education Travel
Holbrook is dedicated to responsible tourism seeking to foster international exchange that supports local, national, and international gains in education, conservation, and global citizenry. Specializing in travel for educational enrichment, each expedition works to support the interest of both visiting guest in collaboration with local citizens to align for both formal and informal exchange through economic growth, educational exchange, and service.
