TEACHING ALL WA KIDS HOW TO SWIM AND SURVIVE
In a state blessed by countless beaches, rivers and backyard pools, learning about water safety is integral to being a kid in Western Australia.
But as in other areas of education, not every child has the same access to swimming lessons, with those from underserved communities more at risk of missing out.
This inequity can have tragic consequences, with children from lower socio-economic families, those living with disabilities, from Indigenous or multicultural backgrounds, or regional and remote communities at higher risk of drowning than their peers.
Royal Life Saving Western Australia (RLSWA) maintains the Swim and Survive Access and Equity Program to ensure that all Western Australians can access swimming and water safety regardless of their circumstances, capabilities and needs.
It provides education and outreach programs all around WA, catering to at-risk communities around Perth as well as those in remote and regional areas.
This includes a number of programs in Aboriginal communities, such as the Spirit Swimming and Lifesaving Carnivals held annually in the Goldfields, Kimberley and Pilbara regions.
For those with disabilities or special needs, RLSWA partners with aquatic centres to provide SAIL (Specialised Access and Inclusion Lessons) to people of all ages, helping them build confidence and gain basic water safety skills in a supportive environment.
RLSWA’s Swim and Survive Fund also provides grants to help alleviate the costs of water safety education — for example, by assisting families to afford swimming lessons for a child who has struggled to learn in a standard group environment.
As another summer arrives, the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation has offered its support to the Swim and Survive Access and Equity program through a community grant.
These funds will not only help vulnerable and disadvantaged kids become safer and more confident in the water but also help Royal Life Saving WA teach them vital skills — skills that could one day save lives.
Published: February 2024