UWA and me
Going to university was a way for me to develop the skills and knowledge to create change in this world. It was never a question for me that I wouldn’t go, despite being one of the first people in my family to go. It’s an incredible opportunity.
In my final year at UWA I started working full-time for one of Australia’s largest and oldest environmental organisations, whilst also running the local chapter and sitting on the national board of an international marine conservation organisation, the Surfrider Foundation. Since then, I’ve gone on to start my own social enterprise, combining my passion for the ocean, science and community.
I went to UWA and completed a Master in Marine and Coastal Management, graduating with distinction. Every step of the journey, through coursework and research thesis, was integral to all my projects then and now. My research enables the effective use of systems-thinking approaches to inspire a multitude of stakeholders to co-create positive impacts for our oceans.
A wave of change
My social enterprise, The Sandswell Movement, is based on the premise that surfing is a powerful vehicle to inspire social change by creating connection between self, community and nature. It has the power to bridge the gaps between race, faith, gender, sexuality and socio-economic status, because in the eyes of the ocean, everyone is equal. We run bespoke surf programs and salty events in our local community and as part of collaborations across Australia and the world. Our programs and events aim to target one or more of our four areas of impact: sustainability and environmental connection, gender equality, mental health and wellness as well as leadership/entrepreneurship and community-building.
Our theory of change hinges on the concept of inspiring leaders, to inspire leaders, to inspire leaders, using innovative and entrepreneurial ways. We provide a platform for communities and leaders around the world to connect and create positive impact, via the medium of surfing and the ocean, in their broader communities.
We have recently been working in the Kimberley with local schools and Aboriginal communities on surfing programs and events. Projects like these have a strong social impact in all different areas on all different scales – from supporting people with their mental health through surf programs, to social and economic development through tourism collaborations. Some impacts are immediate and short-term while others are longer term, and we might not see the complete result for decades. That is just the nature of taking a systems approach – it’s about embracing the complexity and the unknown!
About Sarah
Sarah was born in Perth and spent her childhood loving the ocean. When she was a teenager, her family moved to rural Northern Territory where she learnt a new way of life – living connected to country and culture. From as young as she can remember, she was innovating and inspiring social change, even finishing school at 15 as Student Citizen of the Year.
She moved to Canberra and graduated from the Australian National University with an interdisciplinary degree, Bachelor of Global Change Science with First Class Honours, for which she received the Howlett Prize for most outstanding honours results in Geography. During her studies, she was fortunate to receive scholarships to study abroad at the University of Oxford, attend the UN Climate Change Conference and undertake fieldwork in Vietnam. In 2014, she was the recipient of the Conservation Council’s WA Young Environmentalist of the Year award.
After much travelling, and having explored the ‘seven seas’, she has finally returned to Western Australia and still follows her belief that the best way to create social change is to live your heart-driven purpose and start in your own backyard. For Sarah, no matter where she ends up, she is forever drawn back to the ocean, the source of all life on Earth.