AUSTSWIM To Provide Water Safety Expertise For Korean Communities

Posted in Other News

Austswim, December 18, 2012: Australia’s National organisation for the teaching of swimming and water safety, is playing a key role in ensuring that the Australian Korean Community will be safe in and around the water this summer.

There are over 150,000 Korean nationals living in Australia and 100,000 are settled in Sydney, the majority in the inner west.

Thanks to funding provided by the NSW Ministry of Police and Emergency Services, AUSTSWIM will be able to provide funded AUSTSWIM Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety Training for the Korean community in early 2013.

AUSTSWIM identified Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities (CALD), our indigenous communities and People With A Disability as the major high risk groups after working in line with the Australian Water Safety Strategy 2012-2015 and by looking at the key areas identified in the NSW Liberals and Nationals Water Safety Strategy along with the 2011 Royal Life Saving NSW Drowning report.

NSW AUSTSWIM business manager Jared Wilson said the main aim of the project would be to train teachers form Korean backgrounds to go out into their local Korean communities and provide swimming lessons.

AUSTSWIM representatives, led by CEO Gordon Mallett and Mr Wilson recently met with representatives from the local Sydney Korean Community to discuss the importance of swimming and water safety programs for local community members.

It follows the NSW Ministry for Police & Emergency Services $8 million commitment over four years as part of the Water Safety Black Spots Fund (WSBSF).

The object of The Fund is to reduce the rate of drowning deaths in NSW.

The Fund provides additional funding for water safety initiatives that focus on known black spot locations; address high risk populations; or address emerging water safety issues.

The meeting with AUSTSWIM was an opportunity to highlight the increased risk associated with aquatic activities that are confronting not only the Korean community, but also a variety of culturally and logistically diverse communities.

Joining the AUSTSWIM representatives were Mr Byungil Kim, President of the Australian Korean Society, Mr Edgar Hyung, president of the Korean Sports Association, Mr Harry Paik, President of the Korean Sports Association, Mr Philip Shin, Vice President of the Korean Sports Association and Mr David Lee President of the Australian Korea Swimming Federation.

“AUSTSWIM was honoured to be able to present these representatives with Certificates of Partnership for their commitment to swimming and water safety education in the Korean community,” Mr Mallett said.

“We were also honoured to receive a commemorative plaque from the Korean Sports Association for their commitment to the Australian Korean Community.”

The meeting and presentation continued to strengthen AUSTSWIM's relationship with the Australian Korean Community.

BACKGROUND:

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) and tourists (both domestic and international) have been identified by the Australian Water Safety Council as communities at an increased risk of drowning and aquatic injury when compared to the rest of the Australian population, 19 International Tourists drowned in Australian Waters during 10-11, ten of those drowning occurred whilst swimming.

Building awareness of hazards, risks and the role of secondary and tertiary prevention measures is a significant factor in addressing drowning in high risk populations. Recently arrived migrants are at a greater risk of drowning due to lower levels of awareness and foundation aquatic skills. Although the situation is improving, lifesaving systems are not as common in developing countries and even some high income countries, meaning that tourists and recently arrived migrants are at a greater risk of drowning due to lower levels of awareness and foundation aquatic skills.

Participation rates in aquatic education programs are much lower among CALD communities and strategies to address this through community development should be encouraged. This can be beneficial both for achieving a reduction in drowning and in promoting greater social cohesion across Australian communities.

In addition increasing the quality and accessibility of local swimming pools is important in increasing employment opportunities and in reaping the known health benefits of aquatic activity in high risk populations.

AUSTSWIM OBJECTIVE:

To provide programs and education to high risk populations, including:

Education for people whose first language is not English
Teaching Indigenous Australian people to swim
Training teachers of swimming and water safety from the target groups
People with a disability

For further information please contact the AUSTSWIM NSW Business Centre on 1300 885 666 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

“AUSTSWIM has a strong philosophy that is founded on the belief that all Australians should have appropriate and relevant swimming and water safety skills and understand the principles and practices of water safety”.

Issued on behalf of AUSTSWIM