Multicultural families learn to Swim and Survive

This Harmony Week we’re celebrating the successes of our Swim and Survive Access and Equity program participants, who are learning vital swimming and water safety skills so they can safely enjoy WA’s water-loving lifestyle. Hundreds of multicultural families are given access to these programs each year thanks to our community partners across the state.

Drowning statistics show that 40% of those who drowned in Western Australia over a recent ten-year period were born overseas. The overrepresentation of multicultural Australians in drowning data is largely due to their alarmingly low participation levels in swimming and water safety programs.

As we work to turn that around, 49 participants from the Chin and Burmese communities in the City of Swan and City of Stirling have taken part in swimming and water safety activities this term through a partnership between Royal Life Saving WA and the Perth Myanmar Language Centre. The participants included children, mothers and fathers, aged from 4 to 47 years who have enjoyed swimming lessons each Saturday afternoon at Swan Active Ballajura.

Before joining the lessons in the water the group took part in a water safety talk, which happened at Balga Senior High School in place of their usual English language lessons which take place every Saturday.

Feedback from the group was that the session was very informative and taught their community valuable water safety knowledge. They parents says they are now far more aware of how to keep themselves and their children safe around water.

The program was part of Royal Life Saving WA’s Access and Equity, supported by BHP and Lotterywest, to ensure at-risk individuals and community members across WA can take part in vital swimming and water safety education.

You can find out more about the Royal Life Saving WA Access and Equity program at the link below.