Onslow Osprey Swim School students

Onslow kids dive into swim lessons

Royal Life Saving WA has partnered with the Onslow Osprey Swim School as part of our commitment to ensure all children have an opportunity to learn vital swimming and water safety skills.

For outback communities, like Onslow in the Pilbara, access to these lessons is crucial, with people from regional communities almost twice as likely to drown than those in Perth’s metro.

Royal Life Saving coordinated the enrolment process with demand so high in the coastal town that classes quickly filled up after going online.

Parents had the option to sign their children up for Infant Aquatics, Swim and Survive or Junior Lifeguard Club which meant kids of all ages and abilities could take part.

49 children completed lessons across the three programs, which were taught by local instructor Sophie Telfer and Pool Duty Manager Sharon Clark at the Onslow Aquatic Centre every Monday and Wednesday during Term Four.

Sharon said the Junior Lifeguard Club was well received and she is looking forward to building the program this year.

“At the beginning of the first class I asked all students what they wanted to learn, CPR being the main goal for everyone. At the last session I asked the students if they felt they received the skills they had hoped for and they said they were wrapped with everything we had gone over,” she said.

“I cannot wait to teach new students and build on skills with the foundation students.”

Royal Life Saving is keen to see children across more regional WA communities receive access to Swim and Survive lessons, but this is often a challenge due to a shortage of swim instructors in these regions. 

Royal Life Saving Endorsed Swim School Manager, Amy Benjamin, said the partnership with the Onslow swim school was a great success. 

“We liked that we were able to offer the full range of lessons for the Onslow community from Infant Aquatics right through to Junior Lifeguard Club. We are looking forward to working with Sharon and Sophie for another successful season in 2023,” she said. 

We’re currently working to improve the availability of instructors in regional areas, thanks to the State Government’s Jobs and Skills initiative, providing free Swim Teacher training for eligible young people across the state.

You can find a Swim Teacher by Royal Life Saving course near you at the link below.