Ascot Vale Leisure Centre (AVLC) in partnership with Life Saving Victoria (LSV), have successfully delivered a fully funded Learn to Swim (LTS) program tailored for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.

Thirty children participated in eight swimming lessons under the expert guidance of Belgravia Leisure’s accredited instructors, with LSV delivering an additional two water safety sessions, experiencing an astounding 192 per cent increase in water confidence.

The program, funded by Life Saving Victoria, aimed to bridge the gap in aquatic skills and safety awareness among CALD children. Running at AVLC provided a nurturing environment for students to develop essential swimming skills, water safety knowledge and confidence in and around the water.

Jaye Hansford, Community Engagement Coordinator said, “Partnering with LSV has enabled us to make a huge difference in the lives of these children and their families. This was made clear from the overwhelmingly positive responses gathered from our pre- and post-program surveys.

“The feedback from parents highlighted the program’s huge influence, with boosts in our student’s confidence levels. Before the program, parents rated their children’s water confidence at an average of 2.57 out of 10, which surged to an impressive 7.53 after completion.

“They also reported an average rating of 8.07 for the enhancement in their child’s water safety knowledge. Witnessing their progression and confidence in the water has been truly rewarding.

“We pride ourselves on providing a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere at our venues, so we were also proud to see an average rating of 9.13 out of 10 when asked if our teams provided a welcoming, supportive and inclusive experience,” Jaye concluded.

Parents were deeply appreciative of the program’s impact on their families. “I just wanted to thank the organisers and teachers for this program. It’s been such a great opportunity for families, especially for those of us who are single parents with one income,” shared a parent.

Another parent emphasised the program’s contribution to building confidence and inclusivity within the community, stating, “This is a really great program for my son. He really enjoys the class and feels more confident in the water now, being a part of something fun and special”.

LSV spokesperson Blair Morton emphasised Life Saving Victoria’s commitment to working with the community to enhance swimming and water safety knowledge among all Victorians, stating, “Swimming lessons are both much needed and highly sought after across the community.

“Life Saving Victoria’s Diversity and Inclusion team will continue to search for future funding from government and philanthropic partners to allow successful programs like this to take place,” Morton concluded.

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