Pioneering water safety and life skills program set for Northern Territory launch

A pioneering new school water safety and life skills program - with a major focus on survival swimming - is to be launched in the Northern Territory tomorrow.

Floss Roberts, Executive Director of the Royal Life Saving Society’s Northern Territory branch, says the program is all about making a massive difference to Northern Territory children and giving them key life skills so they don’t drown.

Roberts highlights that with the concerning statistics of our primary school student swimming abilities and the abundance of water in our tropical environment, children are at risk and says this new program is a key step forward.

She explains“this is all about trialling something different which we think will be better for students and schools.

“There is a huge focus on survival skills. Instead of eight separate days of 45 minute lessons in the water, students attend three full day programs at the swimming pool from 9am to 2pm. It is an intensive program – developed for year 4, 5 and 6 students – and the focus is water safety, survival skills and problem solving “During the three days of learning, there are eight survival swimming lessons from the Swim and Survive program; three CPR awareness lessons; team building challenges and problem solving scenarios. The CPR awareness is just so important. It is a critical skill.

“The program is in line with the Australian Curriculum Health and Physical Education standards. It demonstrates an innovative and student focused approach to address the issues of schools not being able to do swimming and water safety programs. Addressing the high costs of transport and disruption to school schedule makes this program cost effective for parents and meaningful for schools as students work towards reaching the National Benchmark of Water Safety at the completion of Primary School. ”

Gray Primary School are the first school to trial the program, with over 100 students participating in the program at Darwin’s Parap Swimming Pool.

Roberts adds “we want all children in the Northern Territory to have access to these critical life skills. We can always do more and this program is a new way forward which we believe will pay real dividends. Our children deserve this opportunity.”

Royal Life Saving NT has partnered with the Northern Territory Department of Education for the water safety and life skills school trial.

It will be launched at Darwin’s Parap Swimming Pool tomorrow (Friday 6th April). 

Image: Northern Territory children enjoy a Swim and Survive session.

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