NSW Government funds $90,000 migrant swim school by Royal Life Saving Society

Migrants and people born overseas are too often over-represented when it comes to summertime drownings. A new program will aim to give those first-timers basic skills to have fun in the water safely.

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Summer drownings have spiked in the first month of 2019. Royal Life Saving’s summer drowning toll already sits at 56, 16 more than this time last year, and one-third of those deaths have been of people from migrant or refugee backgrounds along with tourists.

Royal Life Saving Society chief executive Michael Ilinsky said multicultural communities sadly remain over represented when it comes to drownings.

“Over the last decade 280 people have drowned in NSW who were born overseas, which is a terrible statistic,” Mr Ilinsky said.

Most recently a five-year-old girl from Baulkham Hills was pulled from the surf at Avoca Beach, miraculously surviving.

To target the issue NSW State Government has announced $90,000 for swim school programs, which will be rolled out for the first time in Granville along with Seven Hills with an emphasis on teaching mature-aged students swimming basics.

The girl was holidaying with family at the beach when the near tragedy happened. Picture: Mark Scott

Bhhumi Shah, from Toongabbie, is now on her fifth lesson and said as a child her fear of the water kept her on dry land.

“My mum tried to get me to have lessons,” Mrs Shah, who grew up in India, said.

“I tried but it wasn’t for me, and after a few arguments she let me quit.”

Now almost 30 years later she has finally agreed to jump back in.

“It was my son actually who convinced me,” Mrs Shah said.

“He told me “you’re never too old to learn” and he was right.”

Mrs Shah said she was glad that she waited, because the program has slowly helped her lose all fears in the water.

“It was very systematic,” Mrs Shah said.

Bhhumi Shah is part of the Royal Lifesavers program to help newly arrived migrants in the water. Picture: Angelo Velardo

“It wasn’t just jump in and swim, we blew bubbles and kicked our legs and now I find myself totally comfortable in the water and I can’t wait for holidays away with my son in the water.”

The funding will aim to help more than 250 adults to complete 10 swimming lessons each, while also providing professional development for instructors to support their work with migrant communities.

Minister for emergency services Troy Grant, who administers the Water Safety Fund alongside the Office of Emergency Management, said community involvement and education is vital to help reduce the number of people losing their lives in NSW waterways.

“No one wants to see another life lost around our waterways this summer so I encourage people to get involved with programs like this one, and make sure you look out for your mates, always assess the conditions, and don’t drink alcohol or take drugs before swimming,” Mr Grant said.

The programs will be rolled out to the western Sydney pools throughout January.