Multicultural youth learn essential water safety skills
61 multicultural children have been introducing themselves to essential swimming skills in our Term One Multicultural Youth Swim and Survive swimming lessons held at the Cannington Leisureplex.
Royal Life Saving WA recognises that learning to Swim and Survive is a vital skill that all Western Australians need to safely participate on, in and around the water. The Multicultural Youth Program provides children from multicultural communities with a comfortable environment to be introduced to swimming before participating in swimming lessons at school.
With multicultural programs made possible with funding from the Australian Department of Health and Lotterywest, the Cannington Youth Program was delivered in partnership with Communicare as part of the Make Your Move Program. The initiative along with Royal Life Saving WA’s Swim and Survive Program aims to provide multicultural communities with accessible physical activity programs to support vulnerable people, promote healthier lifestyles and improve connections within WA’s communities.
The need for youth involvement in Swim and Survive programs is increasingly important, as drowning deaths among children increased by 56% over the past year with 14 children aged 5-14 drowning in Australia during 2020/2021. By offering a range of Swim and Survive programs suitable for a variety of ages, backgrounds and skill levels, Royal Life Saving WA intends to support drowning prevention within the community.
The Multicultural Youth Swim and Survive program is about more than just providing at-risk multicultural community members with accessible swimming and water safety education. The program provides a comfortable and inclusive environment for multicultural children to access knowledge and skills that will allow them to be able to safely go out and enjoy Australian waterways.
This season of the program has seen a significant number of children coming together to take part in fun and educative swimming lessons. To learn more about a swimming lesson program focused on bringing a variety of cultural backgrounds together, visit the link below.
