Water Safety starts with us

Jade Hanson explains AUSTSWIM’s vital role in teaching people of all ages to be safer in and around the water

For over 43 years Australians have been taught to swim by AUSTSWIM-trained and licenced Swimming and Water Safety Teachers.

With over 385,000 teachers trained since inception, it’s likely that each and every person in Australia today has been taught by or knows someone who has been taught by an AUSTSWIM Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety.

Nationally, AUSTSWIM commits to ensuring training is available. Whether it is regional and remote, indigenous, culturally and linguistically diverse or any other community in need, AUSTSWIM is there to ensure that every Australian has access to swimming and water safety training and education.

As we rebound and gain momentum into the summer months, we continue to acknowledge the significant role swimming and water safety plays in the social, economic, health and wellbeing of Australian communities and want to celebrate our industry and support our people.

The recently released Royal Life Saving Society – Australia National Drowning Report 2022 reveals a tragic spike in drowning deaths over the past 12 months with 339 drowning deaths occurring across Australia, the highest in 25 years.

In addition to the fatal drownings there were 686 non-fatal drowning incidents.

The report shines light and concern on the importance of learning swimming and water safety skills at any age.

The findings highlight the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on drowning risk, including children lacking swimming and water safety skills necessary to enjoy the water safely due to pandemic-induced lesson cancellations and the ongoing shortage in swimming and water safety teachers across Australia. 15 drowning deaths occurred in children aged five to 14 years, a 7% increase on last year and a 36% increase on the 10-year average.

These statistics are a reminder to the whole community and to over 33,000 AUSTSWIM teachers currently working back-toback shifts of the vital importance of the swimming and water safety programs that they deliver across Australia, teaching skills for life.

Advising that the organisation remains committed to raising awareness around drowning prevention through the teaching of vital swimming and water safety skills, despite the challenges the industry faces, AUSTSWIM Chief Executive, Brad Low declares “swim schools across the country are operating at capacity and with not enough accredited and licensed teachers, they are unfortunately turning families away.

“But with the support of several State funding initiatives, our focus is on educating as many new teachers as we can, ensuring that everyone across the country has access to swimming and water safety classes delivered by knowledgeable

AUSTSWIM ambassador Brooke Hanson with participants at MATE disability accessibility workshop (above) and with AUSTSWIM Chief Executive Brad Low during the recent Rise with Us Breakfast series (below). Credit: AUSTSWIM.

and experienced AUSTSWIM teachers who have been trained to the highest quality standards.

“AUSTSWIM Licensed Teachers are the lifeblood of swimming and water safety programs and have been so for the past 43 years.

“Their employment and engagement are critical, resulting in more Australians participating in swimming and water safety lessons which will help reduce the number of preventable drownings and water-related injuries.”

With one AUSTSWIM Licenced Teacher teaching on average up to 100 Australians a week, the total AUSTSWIM Licensed Teacher network is teaching up to 3.5 million people every week.

An estimated 4.7 million children aged 0 to 14 years live in Australia alone, and the vision for AUSTSWIM is for each and every one of them to be taught by an AUSTSWIM Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety.

Under the direction of Low, who took up his role in May this year, AUSTSWIM’s new strategic plan is committed to industry engagement, course development, teacher education and advocacy.

The success of AUSTSWIM ‘Rise with us’ breakfast series has Low excited about the future of the organisation, sharing the vision and being a part of the AUSTSWIM family.

He explains “as the peak National body for the Teaching of Swimming and Water safety in Australia, AUSTSWIM is and has always collaborated and partnered with industry, to support swim teachers and raise the awareness of the importance of swimming and water safety teacher competency and education.

“Through these relationships we will ensure that swimming and water safety teacher training remains relevant to the needs of business and industry.

“While the emergence of alternate courses has shown that there is no longer a single education provider in the teaching of swimming and water safety, AUSTSWIM remains the benchmark.

“Our courses have and always will provide high quality, rigorous education and training programs that are un-matched by any organisation in Australia.”

AUSTSWIM licenced teachers in Australia are accredited with ISO/17024 inviting independent auditors to assess AUSTSWIM on the way they train and accredit licenced teachers in Australia and holding them to the highest international standard.

Through this accreditation, AUSTSWIM maintains additional compliance to safeguard the quality of teacher training and licensing.

Over the past six months, AUSTSWIM has spoken to people on the front line to identify opportunities to ease the workforce challenges currently being experienced by the industry.

The new Strategic Plan will feature a strong collaboration pillar and an increased investment in program and product development to meet the current and emerging needs of the industry.

Another key focus of the organisation is on workforce retention, workforce planning and supporting Licensed Teachers to develop their professional skills and grow personally, building resilience and focus on their own wellbeing.

Fundamentally, 2023 sees the organisation return to its core purpose and a strong focus on individual teachers of swimming and water safety, developing their knowledge and skills to teach people of all ages to be safer in and around the water. Jade Hanson is National Marketing and Brand Manager for AUSTSWIM LIMITED.