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Issue 1.7 |
November 2007 |
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Always Supervise Children Near Water, ALWAYS!
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Swim For Life Schools Challenge How many of your students can swim 200m?
Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) invites all New Zealand
schools to measure the swimming ability of their
students by challenging them to swim 200m continuously.
The challenge can be incorporated as part of a swimming sports, aquatic programme or the school’s physical education programme. Water Safety New Zealand will provide:
Prizes
Three Age Group Sections
Prizes will be awarded to the class that has the greatest percentage of students achieving the 200m objective compared to the total number of students in the class. The competition starts now! So enrol your class to enter. Results must be returned to WSNZ by 30 April 2008. Late returns will not qualify for the prize offered. To enter your school or class please complete the Registration Form. Swim For Life® Schools Challenge The following guidelines are a basis for teachers and/or swim teachers to use when undertaking the challenge.
Risk Analysis Management Systems – Teachers should be aware of ‘site-specific’ risks or potential hazards for swimming and should complete their own risk management assessment in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s EOTC guidelines. Teachers may wish to view and link examples via the New Zealand Handbook (SNZ HB 8669:2004) Guidelines for Risk Management in Sport and Recreation, which can be obtained via Standards New Zealand. Prize Note - In the event that two or more classes achieve the winning percentage the prize will be split up to a maximum of two classes. If there are multiple winners a draw will be made with two classes each winning $500 worth of RFD product. |
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Around three quarters of the 200 children who participated in the Kauriland Swim for Life Challenge at the Whangarei Aquatic Centre on Friday 12 October, successfully completed the “challenge” – to swim 200 metres. With Water Safety Ambassador Rob Hewitt in the water alongside the children, many who thought the challenge was beyond their capability surprised themselves by achieving the goal. Sport Northland’s General Manager Colleen Atchison hailed the day a great success and was pleased with the number who successfully completed the challenge. “I’m sure Rob was a big factor in the success rate, as he was able to offer advice and encouragement to the children, as they battled out the 200 metre challenge.” The Kauriland Swim for Life Challenge which was jointly organised by Sport Northland and Water Safety New Zealand also included modules on river safety, survival in deep water as well as learning to snorkel. Teachers from the schools that took part, Te Horo, Purua, Mangakahia, Poroti, Pakotai, Morningside, Hora Hora, Raurimu Ave and Rawhitiroa also completed a teacher training session. Water Safety New Zealand General Manager Matt Claridge thanked Sport Northland and Kauriland for their commitment to this Water Safety initiative, “the Swim For Life Campaign seeks to increase both awareness and opportunities to develop the core- life skill of being able to swim and survive. Something a large proportion of today’s population are not able to do and I am sure this was achieved here in Whangarei with the 200 children. The team from What Now children’s television show also filmed and followed the children from Hora Hora School. To view the Kaurilands Swim For Life Challenge video clip, Click Here |
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Scouting New Zealand (SNZ) has added its support to the Swim For Life
initiative, in an effort to encourage more children to learn and develop
swimming and survival skills.
The purpose of Swim For Life is that every New Zealand child by the age
of twelve should be able to swim 200 metres confidently and competently
with associated survival skills and water safety knowledge.
Swim For Life was developed by Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ), the New
Zealand Recreation Association, the New Zealand Swim Coaches and
Teachers Association of New Zealand. The initiative is designed to curb
the high drowning rate in this country (twice the rate per capita than
Australia) and the lack of swimming and survival skills of New Zealand
children.
WSNZ General Manager Matt Claridge remarks that “SNZ’s support is a step
in the right direction as the SNZ movement reaches over fourteen
thousand New Zealand children a year. The involvement of a national
organisation in full support of the aims and objectives of the Swim For
Life initiative is more progress to ensuring that the vital message and
importance of learning the core life skill of swimming and survival
skills is heard and learnt by all New Zealanders”.
SNZ’s National Operations Manager Richard Uerata-Jennings says, “This is
a great opportunity for SNZ to be recognised for the Water Safety
programmes it delivers through our weekly programmes, National Schools
and events such as Jamborees and Regattas”.
SNZ and WSNZ plan to incorporate Water Safety Skills and a Swim For Life
Challenge at the January 2008 National Scouting Jamboree in
Christchurch. The Jamboree will have over three thousand participants
and two thousand leaders. This provides an ideal opportunity to expose
young New Zealanders to the core life skills required to enjoy water and
the environment safely.
November marks the beginning of the national Swim For Life public
awareness campaign. Television, cinema and radio promotion will deliver
this message of importance to all New Zealand communities. The campaign
reinforces that if you can’t swim and survive, you are helpless in the
water. Can your child swim? Would your child survive? Swim For Life! |
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Generous on-going sponsorship from Pak N Save Upper Hutt
has helped 16 children receive free swimming lessons at
H2O Xtream.
Local primary schools had the opportunity to nominate
children from their school who they felt would benefit
from receiving learn to swim lessons.
Each child has been enrolled in to the Wave Breakers
Swim School for Term 4 and will receive expertise
tuition from the Swim Schools qualified instructors.
The children receiving the lessons range from beginners
through to more developed swimmers.
Manager Alison Law says “Learning to swim and survive is
a necessary part of a childs education. We are very
lucky to have this sponsorship from Pak N Save Upper
Hutt, to help ensure children that otherwise might not
have had the opportunity, learn to swim and be safe in
the water”.
Each term Upper Hutt Primary schools will be asked to
nominate children to take part in the programme.
This scholarship programme is an effort towards Water
Safety New Zealand’s Swim for Life initiative whereby
every New Zealand child by the age of 12 will be able to
swim 200m confidently and competently. |
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November marks the
beginning of the national Swim For Life public awareness
campaign. This year we have introduced radio to the mix
and also tinkered with the TVC by adding a voice over
which delivers our call to action. To view the
TVC,
Click Here
Learn to
swim. Learn to survive. Swim For Life
We are fortunate that our
media schedule this year is heavier than we have been
able to deliver previously. With better reach and more
frequency of message getting into the market we
anticipate that this translates to increased awareness,
acceptance of the relevance of the message for all and
ultimately a positive behaviour change across all New
Zealand communities.
The Swim For Life web
address is also an integral part of the TVC. One of the
objectives in doing this is to link the initiative to
learn to swim providers in the community. A map of New
Zealand has been developed for this purpose and by
clicking on the relevant geographical area lists and
contact details of the nearest provider are instantly
available,
Click Here |
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School, Swim School and Aquatic
Facility Support
Swim schools & facilities that are partnered with Swim
For Life now have access to high quality silicone swim
caps and lifejackets. These high quality products are a
great way for swim schools and aquatic facilities to
leverage off Swim For Life marketing activity through
dual branding.
Swim For Life certificates are available FREE of charge
that can be presented to students when they achieve the
Swim For Life goal of swimming 200m. If you or your
school, swim school/aquatic facility is interested in
dual branded silicone swim caps, instructor rash vests
or Swim For Life certificates please complete the
Order/Query Form
If you would like more information about all the Swim
For Life merchandise please contact 04 801 9600 or
e-mail
info@swimforlife.org.nz |
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RFD NZ Ltd, are a recognised world leader for the supply of marine and aviation safety and survival equipment. RFD has also come on board as a supporter of WSNZ and the Swim For Life initiative. RFD’s extremely generous support means we are able to offer a heavily discounted selection of quality lifejackets and buoyancy aids to WSNZ member organisations and other water safety education providers including schools, aquatic facilities and swim schools that are aligned with WSNZ initiatives.Click on the RFD Logo for more information. |
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The Swim For Life initiative will only get stronger with an increase in
community awareness. Please continue to communicate by sharing your Swim
For Life success stories from your community. |
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PROVISIONAL DROWNING STATISTICS (as at 30 November 2007) Year to date: 92 Same time last year: 87 |
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