Swim School Open Days 2016

Over the past five years an average of 30 drowning deaths are recorded each year in Western Australia with the majority of these occurring during the summer months.

With summer fast approaching The Royal Life Saving Society WA is conducting a Swim School Open Day at selected Endorsed Swim Schools throughout WA.  

Royal Life Saving has a network of 120 Endorsed Swim Schools that meet Royal Life Saving safety standards and best practice for the delivery of swimming and water safety lessons. Endorsed Swim Schools deliver the Swim & Survive swimming & water safety program that aims to ensure that children are not only taught ‘how’ to swim but also ‘when and where’ to do so safely. Last year almost 200,000 WA children participated in the Swim & Survive program, which is proudly supported by BHP Billiton.   

Once a year Swim Schools open their doors for a Swim School Open Day, focusing on mass community participation in activities at the centre. A key element of the Open Day is that the Swim Schools provide a free swim assessment to children, giving parents an insight into the skill level of their child and what is required to safely participate in aquatic activities in their local area over the coming summer.  

History has shown the outstanding success of the Swim & Survive Program. Since its introduction in 1982 drowning rates in Australia for 5-14 year olds have fallen from 7.1 to 0.85 (per 100,000 population), and last financial year WA recorded zero drowning deaths in this age group! This reduction is probably not equaled or bettered in any part of the world and can be directly attributed to the work of swimming & water safety programs such as Swim & Survive.   

Trent Hotchkin, Senior Manager, Swimming & Water Safety Education at Royal Life Saving says “A key activity at each Swim School Open Day will be to provide a free swimming assessment to help parents determine what level their child is at, and the available options they can take to improve their child’s swimming ability at their local Endorsed Swim School.”   

“As well as the free swimming assessment, each pool will host a number of different attractions to get the whole family involved that may include pool inflatable sessions, barbeques, aquatic games and activities, pool demonstrations and giveaways”.   

For further details on an Open Day near you click on the link below.