Mind over waves: uncovering mental health toolkit gaps for young Australian surf lifesavers through an environmental scan and expert survey

Surf lifesavers are volunteer first responders across Australian waterways, performing coastal rescues, and other high-risk activities. Personnel undertaking these activities can include young people, from age 13. The mental health impact of these activities, and of strategies to improve wellbeing, is not well understood. Young surf lifesavers (aged 13–25) are known to be a cohort particularly vulnerable to mental health challenges associated with these tasks. This study aims to assess existing mental health toolkits available online in Australia and New Zealand, in relation to their relevance to this group with the goal of guiding the creation of a helpful, engaging toolkit for this demographic. Using an environmental scan methodology, we examined 32 mental health toolkits available online which focus on improving wellbeing. Expert assessments of these tools were undertaken from researcher, psychological, social work, Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA), and non-SLSA first respondent perspectives to ascertain their relevance for young lifesavers, in accordance with the duties they undertake. Toolkits were scored on their usefulness, relevance, appropriateness, accessibility, and efficacy in addressing general trauma and trauma specific to SLSA duties. Toolkits were reviewed by 68 experts across several domains. Toolkits intended for first responders and young people scored highest across all variables, while qualitative feedback emphasised strategies to adapt existing toolkits for the target audience either stylistically and tonally or in terms of content or supplementary mental health interventions. No existing toolkit directly targeted experiences associated with the general tasks involved in surf lifesaving. This environmental scan reveals gaps where bespoke mental health toolkits could focus, for instance on the impact of performing rescues and other high-risk situations, such as responding to suicides and self-harm, that arise in Australian waterways; as well as emphasising the value of the SLSA community as a potential protective factor mitigating trauma exposure. Further work should be undertaken with intended toolkit end users to develop fit-for-purpose resources within a psychosocially supportive context, working with the strengths of young SLSA members.