Partnership to provide opportunities for Aboriginal youth

In recent years Royal Life Saving WA has increased its presence and collaboration with community groups in the Pilbara region to ensure our programming in that area meets the needs and expectations of the local community.

Much of this work focuses on water safety education and drowning prevention, to address concerning drowning statistics in that part of our state. There has been a 29% increase in the number of drowning deaths in the Pilbara region over the past decade, with Aboriginal people twice as likely to drown as non-Aboriginal people.

Hand in hand with this we are also working to provide vital skills training for Aboriginal youth in the region through our Talent Pool program, to not only ensure there are people in local towns who have rescue and water safety skills they can share within their own community, but also to enable these young people to be job ready to take up positions as lifeguards and swim instructors at local aquatic centres.

One group we’ve recently had the pleasure of partnering with is Pilbara Aboriginal Voice (PAV), which works to advocate for Aboriginal people across the region. Royal Life Saving WA Talent Pool Program Manager Tim Turner recently met with Pilbara Aboriginal Voice Co-Chairs Sissy Remirez & Danny Brown to discuss how we can assist in supporting 50 young people to secure first times jobs each year over the next five years through the Department of Communities’ North West Aboriginal Housing Fund.

Danny and Sissy are keen to see more Aboriginal youth finishing school and creating pathways for future skilled employment and will work with their network of Aboriginal leaders and elders to discuss how Royal Life Saving WA and PAV can best work together to make this happen.

We look forward to seeing this exciting partnership develop over the coming months as we work together to create a better future for Aboriginal young people in regional WA.