Take 5

With over 470 million children and adolescents – one in six globally – now living in areas affected by conflict, and millions of adolescents continuing to grow up living in multidimensional poverty, the toxic stress pandemic has been recognised as a global priority. Scalable solutions are an urgent global focus and need to work for the world’s most underserved adolescents.

From Surf Therapy to Take 5

Our Surf Therapy programme has shown evidence-based success in responding to the toxic stress pandemic in communities in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces in South Africa. This programme has reached capacity in scaling, and we have spent the last 5 years testing the feasibility of the Take 5 Model (on which Surf Therapy is based) as a framework to be adapted and used by a range of sports, arts, cultural and play-based organisations and programmes around the world.

Take 5 responds to the toxic stress pandemic globally by creating more competent coaches who are then able to create or optimise safe, third spaces that are both attractive and therapeutic for adolescents growing up in high-stress environments.

The Take 5 Model

We responded to the need for mental well-being support by developing what was initially known as the 5 Pillar Method and is now known as the Take 5 Model – harnessing the ‘second window of neurological opportunity’ to effectively build resilience, confidence, and mental well-being in youth living in high-stress environments.

Piloted between 2021 to 2024, and launched in 2025, the Take 5 Model can be integrated into any sport, play or activity-based programme globally. It is currently being used by partners in South Africa, such as the Western Cape Government, UNICEF in South Sudan and Elman Peace in Somalia, and other leading national youth development organisations globally.

Short-term impacts

Adolescents feel they belong to a supportive peer group and learn new social skills
Adolescents have fun, learn new ways to manage stress and experience respite
Adolescents set goals and plan for positive futures

Long-term impacts

Reduced risk behaviour
Improved physiology (such as heart rate variability)
Improved confidence and better emotive control
Stress reduction
Reduced risk of developing mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and substance misuse

Become a Take 5 Coach

We developed a free online course and downloadable guides to help sports coaches, teachers, youth volunteers, child protection officers and anyone working with youth to deliver fun, effective, child friendly mental health programmes.

Please feel free to start learning and downloading. We only ask that you help us continually improve by sharing your experiences using our products.

Take 5 Online Course for Caring Coaches

This course is designed to provide anyone working with youths the knowledge, skills and framework to integrate Take 5 into what you’re already doing.

Sign Up

Take 5 Coaching Skills Handbook

This essential handbook will tell you everything you need to know about creating a safe space for kids and best practice methods for being a Caring Coach.

Download

Take 5 Routine & Activities Guide Book

We recommend printing this handbook for practical guidance on how to bring the activities and routines, you’ll about in the course, to life.