Swimming instructor Zoe Ross with children from Yakanarra Community School
Yakanarra kids trek to Fitzroy Crossing for swimming lessons
15 children from the remote Yakanarra Community School, in WA’s Kimberley region, were excited to take part in the Department of Education's Term 4 Interm swimming lessons recently.
This was no ordinary trip to the local pool, however, with the children travelling all the way to Fitzroy Crossing – a whopping 129km each way – for their lessons! Fitzroy Crossing Swimming Pool Programs Coordinator, Adele Caporn, and swimming instructor Zoe Ross are facilitating lessons throughout Term 4 with schools from the surrounding areas of the Fitzroy Valley.
Despite the long way to travel, the Yakanarra kids thoroughly enjoyed their lessons and each received a swimming certificate on completion. Delivered as part of a service agreement with the Department of Education, the lessons are a vital part of Royal Life Saving WA’s work in remote Indigenous communities that aims to encourage greater participation in swimming and water safety activities.
Recent data shows that Aboriginal children are 14 times more likely to be involved in a fatal drowning incident than non-Aboriginal children in our state. Overall, half of children who fatally drown were Aboriginal. Limited water safety awareness combined with very low participation levels in swimming and water safety programs have been noted as key factors. Royal Life Saving WA, in partnership with the Department of Education, is working hard to turn these figures around. Learn more at the link below.
