Surf Life Saving On The Same Wave With Australia’s Multicultural Communities

This is great news - Sue Ellson, Founder, Newcomers Network

23/11/2006
Fifteen students from Oatley Senior School in Sydney's south west hit the beach at Wanda today as part of 'On the Same Wave', a partnership between Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA), the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) and Sutherland Shire Council.

In one of the most important initiatives in almost a century of surf lifesaving, On the Same Wave aims to attract members of Australia’s culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities into the surf lifesaving movement and to share the love of the beach. The program was made possible due to a $600,000 grant from the Australian Government in March 2006.

Brett at On The Same Wave launch
Caption:
SLSA's CEO, Brett Williamson OAM, speaking at Wanda Beach today.
SLSA Chief Executive Officer, Brett Williamson OAM, said that over the course of summer, it was hoped that hundreds of members of Sydney’s CALD communities would have the opportunity to learn basic surf safety, with some going on to become active surf lifesavers.

“At the end of its first 75 years of existence, SLSA’s predominantly mono-cultural, male-dominated organisation was at risk of becoming irrelevant to the broader Australian community,” he said. “In 1980, females were finally admitted as full members of SLSA, and quickly moved into the ranks to now make up more than 41 per cent of the organisation. Now, as we stand on the threshold of our second century of service, we are embarking on another program of recruitment – and we hope that members of Australia’s multicultural communities will be a big part of that.”

Oatley Senior College
Caption:
Students from Georges River Campus, Oatley Senior College about to get into their surf training.
The program with Oatley Senior School is just one of dozens of programs which SLSA has been rolling out recently and will continue to do so throughout the course of the summer. The programs have been developed after consultation with more than 100 people from CALD backgrounds, discussing their perceptions of and interest in surf lifesaving, particularly in the wake of last December's Cronulla riots.

The result has been surf education presentations to youth from CALD backgrounds in south western Sydney, women-only CPR courses for Muslim women, cultural awareness training at the four Cronulla surf life saving clubs and surf awareness courses for school students. There is even a Bronze Medallion squad in training with 22 young people of Muslim background taking part with the aim of qualifying as volunteer surf lifesavers.

Over the course of the summer, hundreds more people from CALD backgrounds will take part in surf survival and surf awareness courses, ten young people will be put through a five-day accredited Surf Survival Certificate course, CPR courses will be conducted with the Lebanese Community Council and Arab Council of Australia, and Sydney-based international university students will attend surf education seminars. Plans are also in place to expand the program outside of Sydney and integrate surf education into English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching.

"On the Same Wave proves just what can be achieved when cultures come together in such a positive manner," said Tom Zreika, President of the Lebanese Moslems Association. "The beaches and surf lifesavers of this great country are as iconic as its multiculturalism, and it is wonderful to see these two elements combined in such a constructive way. If just one life is saved through the surf education, awareness, safety and CPR courses which people from CALD communities are gaining access to through On the Same Wave, then this has been a thoroughly worthwhile project and one which I hope will continue to receive backing into the future."
On The Same Wave - tube
Caption:
The 'On The Same Wave' program is part of an integrated program to promote surf safety and surf lifesaving to Australia's culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Kate McRae, Head Teacher of VET (Vocational Education and Training) at Georges River College, Oatley Senior Campus, said that basic surf safety skills were important for anyone growing up in Australia, which is the main reason the surf lifesaving module is compulsory for students at Oatley studying Certificate II in Sports Coaching. “We have students from many different backgrounds and to include surf lifesaving as part of the core curriculum was a good way to get them to the beach and to learn to enjoy it,” she said.

Surf Life Saving will also be conducting two FREE surf awareness courses at Elouera (13 January 2007) and North Bondi (20 January 2007), specifically for 13-year-olds and over from CALD backgrounds, and their families. Elouera SLSC will also be conducting a low-cost week-long surf awareness course in January for all children aged 12 and under. For more information on these courses, please contact Surf Life Saving NSW on 02 9981 8636.

For further information:

Sean O’Connell
SLSA Communications Manager
M - 0407 286 619
E - soconnell@slsa.asn.au

Brett Moore
SLSNSW Media and Communications Officer
M – 0409 394 889
E – bmoore@surflifesaving.com.au