AUSTSWIM EMPOWERS KIDS TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE THIS SUMMER
AUSTSWIM teachers are the backbone of swimming and water safety education and are urged to take the pledge in raising awareness of the importance of child supervision in, on and around water.
Encouraging their communities to join them in being Water Watchers this summer will reduce the incidence of fatal and non-fatal drowning.
The campaign encourages AUSTSWIM's 30,000+ licensed teachers to "take the pledge" to:
- provide children with inquiry learning opportunities during lessons; and
- include parents, grandparents, families and friends in learning and understanding the importance of constant and continual supervision of children when they are around water.
The Water Watcher pledge:
I am a water watcher
I will be there, be aware and avoid distractions
I will ensure constant supervision
I will appoint a replacement watcher.
Royal Life Saving Society Australia released the 2016/2017 National Drowning Report in which 45% of drowning deaths of children aged between 0-4 years occurred in backyard swimming pools.
Raising awareness of the importance of adult supervision around water is one of the key objectives of the Australian Water Safety Strategy to help reduce the incidence of drowning by 50% by 2020.
AUSTSWIM, the peak body for the training and education of swimming and water safety teachers, is a member of the Australian Water Safety Council which produced the strategy.
AUSTSWIM CEO Jennifer Schembri-Portelli commented "The Water Watcher drowning prevention campaign encourages AUSTSWIM licensed teachers to pay it forward in highlighting the importance of constant and continual supervision of children in, on and around water. Taking the pledge raises everyone's awareness for a reduction in child drowning this summer".
"This is a simple initiative that teachers pledge to incorporate and reinforce swimming and water safety discussions and activities into lessons", Mrs Schembri-Portelli said.
"We're encouraging teachers to use inquiry-based learning methods to empower kids to make good water safety choices. Parents can also be involved in the discussions and activities and take the Water Watcher pledge seriously – be there, be aware, avoid distractions and maintain constant supervision. AUSTSWIM's reach is wide and our capability will create a positive ripple effect."
AUSTSWIM teachers of swimming and water safety taking the pledge can then nominate a friend, parent or colleague to be a designated Water Watcher in the hope that the supervision message is on the forefront of everyone's mind this summer.