Surf Life Saving Australia supports inclusive initiative NAIDOC Week

This week Surf Life Saving Australia is celebrating 50 years of NAIDOC Week and has joined those around Australia uniting to honour Indigenous voices, culture, and the resilience of mob.

This year’s theme, ‘The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy’, celebrates the vision of communities and acknowledges the legacy of ancestors. 

SLSA’s support for NAIDOC Week is grounded in their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Framework and their commitment to ensuring that everyone feels like they belong in Surf Life Saving. 

President of SLSA, John Baker notes “as a community membership organisation, our strength lies in reflecting the rich diversity of the communities we serve.

“Promoting inclusive initiatives like NAIDOC Week is part of a broader goal to create an environment where all Australians can see themselves as part of our movement.”

SLSA advises that a key strategic priority is to build a future where there is a place for everyone in Surf Life Saving adding “we are proud to be developing a Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan, as we create a culture that embraces diversity, fosters unity, and where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are celebrated and empowered across our organisation, within our communities, and along our coastline.”

Wade Krueger, Co-Chair of the SLSA Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Working Group shared “through SLSA’s Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan, we’re taking meaningful steps to build cultural awareness and ensure our beaches, clubs, and leadership pathways are inclusive and safe for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

”Reconciliation is a journey, not a destination, and I’m proud to be part of an organisation that is listening, learning, and taking action.”

Image. Credit: SLSA