One in four Australians say they are weak swimmers or can’t swim, Royal Life Saving Australia research has found.
Adult swimming programs are a great resource to understand the fundamentals of swimming.
The skills learnt in a pool are transferrable across beaches, lakes and rivers.
General Manager of Royal Life Saving ACT Cherry Bailey says those who have the courage to attend adult swimming programs get to achieve the most rewarding outcomes.
“They have probably struggled with a fear, or a barrier, or a trauma around water or swimming for their whole life,” she says.
“Then when you finally get them in the water and tick off those skills one at a time, and see them achieving and see them overcoming those fears, it’s so rewarding. There’s no other word you can really use for it.”
Ms Bailey says time spent away from the water can impact one’s swimming abilities.
“If you spend time out of the water, your water safety skills will decrease,” she says.
“So there is a reason why we encourage the general public and general community to keep up with those skills.”
Drowning is a significant cause of unintentional death in Australia, with 339 people drowning in Australian waterways from 1st July 2021 to 30th June 2022.
Our previous summer season has been no exception. 88 people have drowned since the start of December last year up to the 17th of February 2023.
The Royal Life Saving Australia 2023 Annual Drowning Report is due to be released in June, which will provide an insight on the trends in last year’s drownings.
Contact Royal Life Saving ACT if you want more information on accessing adult swimming programs.