Multicultural Adults Learn to Swim and Survive in the South West
Sadly, this summer has been a tragic one for drowning deaths across Australia, with 85 people losing their lives to drowning since 1st December 2018. In 2017/18, 21 West Australian adults drowned with approximately half of all these drownings occurring in regional areas of our state. In addition to this, between July 2003 and June 2013 there were 128 drowning deaths involving people born overseas.
Royal Life Saving Society is working hard to turn these statistics around, by ensuring all Australians have an opportunity to learn vital swimming and water safety skills so they can stay safe while in and around water. An important part of these efforts to ensure that swimming classes are available for adults, who may have missed out on learning swimming skills as children and feel self-conscious about attending swimming lessons due to their age or cultural background.
During Term Four of 2018 Royal Life Saving WA provided Bunbury’s first ever Women’s Only swimming classes at the South-West Sports Centre, teaching women from multicultural backgrounds swimming and water safety skills in a safe and culturally appropriate environment. The program will continue in Term One 2019, with subsidised Women’s and also Men’s Only classes being run over an eight-week period.
The program is supported through SWIM MY WAY, a partnership between Royal Life Saving Society and UNCLE TOBYS to get more Australian's swimming and active in the water. It aims to not only ensure these participants have an opportunity to learn vital water safety skills, but to also improve their general health and well-being and engage them with their local aquatic facility.
Royal Life Saving is encouraging adults in the Bunbury region to get involved in the Term One programs, which begin on the 12th and 13th of February 2019. To take part participants simply need to register at the link below.
For more information on the Swim My Way program head to the Royal Life Saving Australia website.
