BHP - In This Together

Water plays an important role in our way of life. It is a catalyst for healthy lifestyles and social inclusion. Royal Life Saving WA and its Principal Community Partner BHP have been working together since 2003 to create a healthier future, because we believe one of the best ways to improve the lives of all Western Australians is by teaching them to Swim and Survive.

Many of the programs we partner on provide vital swimming and water safety education for WA’s Aboriginal communities, as we work together to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal Australians in drowning data. Statistics show that Aboriginal children drown at a rate two and a half times that of non-Aboriginal children, and this is something we are determined to address.

There were a range of key achievements made in Aboriginal communities through our partnership with BHP over the 2018/19 financial year including:

• 4,080 Aboriginal children participated in our swimming and water safety programs to improve physical activity and overall health and wellbeing 
• 43,312 visitations were recorded at remote Aboriginal swimming pools managed by RLSSWA in the north-west 
• 32 local Aboriginal community members obtained pre-vocational qualifications
• 257 Aboriginal participants took part in vocational training programs state-wide  

Royal Life Saving WA CEO Peter Leaversuch says the partnership with BHP is vital to our work across Western Australia. “Outcomes such as those outlined above would not have been possible without the support of partners like BHP. We have shared a long and successful partnership with BHP, delivering a range of water safety and drowning prevention programs for at-risk communities throughout Western Australia with a focus on the Pilbara region. These programs aim to ensure that all Western Australians have the awareness, skills and knowledge needed to participate in a range of aquatic activities at all aquatic locations.”