Wollongong to host beach safety day for multicultural communities

With summer approaching, local government, sporting and community organisations are set to come together to host a free Multicultural Water Safety Day at Wollongong City Beach next Friday.

As recently advised by Surf Life Saving NSW, in the 12 months to 30th June 2024, 61 people drowned at beaches, coastal waterways and the ocean in NSW.

The Multicultural Water Safety Day aims to empower multicultural communities in the Illawarra with the skills and confidence to safely enjoy local waters.

Introducing the day, NSW Minster for the Illawarra and the South Coast, Ryan Park stated “the Illawarra and South Coast is home to some of the best beaches in the State and the NSW Government is committed to making sure that all members of our community can enjoy them safely.

“With a focus on inclusivity and community engagement, this initiative aims to make a lasting impact on the water safety in the region.”

“We hope that this event is the first step in instilling a lifelong understanding and appreciation of water safety among our multicultural communities.”.

The initiative is a collaboration between the NSW Office of Sport, Illawarra Multicultural Services, Multicultural Communities Council Illawarra, Surf Life Saving NSW, Royal Life Saving Society - NSW, University of Wollongong, and other local stakeholders designed to educate multicultural communities on vital water safety skills and knowledge, particularly the beach, inland water and rock fishing safety.

As well as interactive educational sessions including a live rip dye and resuscitation demonstrations, there will be hands-on practical activities and the opportunity to engage with facilitators and local organisations.

Projects Coordinator for Illawarra Multicultural Services, Amro Zoabe added “working with multicultural communities, IMS understands the importance of having vital information available in language. By having our multilingual community workers provide language support for this event, we ensure everyone has equitable access

The event will be held at Wollongong City Beach from 10am on Friday 11th October.

Image: A professional lifeguard and volunteer lifesaver at Wollongong City Beach. Credit: City of Wollongong.