Daria Kearon, Izariani Ismail and Moly Siddiqua develop their swimming skills. d396282
Camera IconDaria Kearon, Izariani Ismail and Moly Siddiqua develop their swimming skills. d396282 Credit: Supplied/Emma Reeves

Time to get back in water

Staff ReporterNorth Coast Times

The Royal Life Saving Society WA (RLSSWA), partnered with the Department of Sport and Recreation, Metropolitan Migrant Resource Centre and Ishar Multicultural Women’s Health Centre, runs a women-only swimming program for women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds.

RLSSWA inclusion co-ordinator Jen Mickle said a review of data from the past five years showed women of CaLD backgrounds accounted for more than 47 per cent of drowning deaths in WA.

‘Often swimming and water safety education is overlooked by new migrants due to barriers such as cost and availability,’ she said.

‘Learning to swim is an important part of Australian life.’

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The WA Drowning Report said limited water safety awareness and low participation levels in swimming programs contributed to the over-representation.

The CaLD Swimming and Water Safety Education program was trialled at The Swim School Merriwa in 2012.

This year’s lessons will be held on Wednesdays.