Donate to Royal Life Saving today are please help save a childs life. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.. Why we need your support 248 Members of our community losts thier lives to Drowning in 2020 504 Members of our community hospitalised from a drowning incident +800,000 Training and education awards issued every year $2.2m Members of our community reached every year through our safety campaigns $1.5b Drowning costs our community every year Donate Now Help Royal Life Saving make a difference in your community Select an amount (AU$) * Option 1 - AU$10 Option 2 - AU$20 Option 3 - AU$25 Option 4 - AU$50 Option 5 - AU$100 Option 6 - AU$150 First Name Last Name Email Address I’m donating in the name of: Choose an option Organisation\ Name: Mobile Phone Date of Birth Donate Now Thank you for helping us make a difference! No child should miss out! Holiday Learn to Swim Program in the Hunter Region of NSW A worthy cause Drowning remains one of the leading causes of preventable death in Australian children. In order to prevent drowning, every Australian child must have basic swimming, water safety skills and knowledge of how to be safe when they are in, on, or around the water. The reality is that in many communities, a swimming and water safety education is simply not accessible. Alarmingly, thousands of Australian children leave primary school every year without the ability to swim 50 metres or stay afloat for two minutes – even if their life depended on it.

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Making Swimming Accessible for All In 2025, Royal Life Saving NSW continued its commitment to making swimming accessible for all through the NSW Government’s Learn to Swim for At-Risk Communities initiative. Through Project Elevate, we are breaking down barriers to participation and ensuring more people have access to lifesaving swimming and water safety skills. 2025 Program Delivery Snapshot This year, Project Elevate delivered over 50,000 swimming lessons to children and adults across New South Wales, supporting participants from: Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds Low socio-economic communities First Nations communities Regional and remote areas Across our adult, high school and primary school programs, many participants overcame a fear of water or experienced structured swimming lessons for the first time. Building Confidence, Skills and Safety Project Elevate programs focus on more than just swimming technique. Participants developed: Increased confidence in and around water Fundamental swimming and survival skills Greater awareness of water safety and risk These skills play a vital role in helping individuals and communities stay safe, particularly as we head into the summer months. What’s Next: SwimVAC 2026 Looking ahead, Project Elevate’s next major milestone is the fully funded SwimVAC program, running 12–23 January 2026. The program will deliver: 452 classes Across 85 venues To more than 2,500 children and adults in regional NSW Supporting Communities and the Aquatic Industry Beyond teaching lifesaving skills, SwimVAC also supports the broader aquatic industry by providing swim teachers with valuable summer employment, helping to strengthen the workforce while delivering critical community outcomes. Here are some of our favourite photos from the program in 2025!

As the warmer months arrive, many Tasmanian families turn to backyard, portable and inflatable pools as a way to cool off and enjoy time together. While these pools can be fun and affordable, they also carry serious risks — particularly for young children.  That’s why Royal Life Saving Tasmania has launched its Be Pool Safe campaign, a statewide initiative designed to remind all Tasmanians that drowning is quick, silent and preventable — and that simple actions at home can save lives.  Why This Campaign Matters in Tasmania  Recent tragic incidents, along with findings from a Tasmanian Coronial inquest, have highlighted the heightened drowning risk associated with portable and inflatable pools , especially for children aged 0–5 years .  These pools are often purchased without families fully understanding the risks or legal requirements — yet the danger is just as real as with permanent backyard pools. Even small amounts of water, a brief lapse in supervision, or a pool left accessible can have devastating consequences.  As Craig Roberts, General Manager – Drowning Prevention at Royal Life Saving Tasmania, explains:  “Even small amounts of water, a momentary lapse in supervision, or a pool left accessible to a child can have devastating consequences. Our message is clear — if you’re going to use these pools, you must supervise constantly, empty them straight after use, and make sure children can’t access them when adults aren’t present.”  One Campaign. Six Clear Safety Messages.  The Be Pool Safe campaign delivers six simple, consistent safety messages that will be shared across communities throughout Tasmania via social media, email signatures, digital TV screens, and practical home pool safety checklists.  These messages focus on the actions that matter most:  1. Actively Supervise — Every Second Counts   Children can get into trouble in seconds. Active supervision means eyes on, hands on , with no distractions whenever water is accessible — whether it’s a pool, bath or splash play.  2. Empty Pools Immediately After Use   Portable and inflatable pools should be emptied straight after use , including small paddling pools. An empty pool removes the risk altogether.  3. Check Pool Fencing and Safety Barriers   In Tasmania, any pool capable of holding 300 mm of water requires a compliant safety barrier , including temporary and inflatable pools. Knowing the rules helps prevent tragedy.  4. Remove Hazards and Temptations   Pool toys, furniture, plants and climbable objects can act as stepping stones. Clearing the pool area and packing toys away after swimming helps prevent unsupervised access.  5. Be Prepared — CPR Saves Lives   While prevention is critical, being prepared can make the difference between life and death. Learning CPR and emergency response skills gives families the confidence to act if the unthinkable happens.  6. Understand the Risk   Drowning doesn’t always end in death — but it can change a life forever. For children aged 0–4, there are multiple hospitalisations for every drowning death, with most incidents occurring in private pools.  A Community-Wide Call to Action  The Be Pool Safe campaign is designed for everyone — parents, carers, grandparents, retailers, councils and early childhood services — because preventing drowning takes a whole-community approach.  This summer, Royal Life Saving Tasmania is encouraging all Tasmanians to pause, check their pool setup, refresh their supervision habits, and talk with friends and family about pool safety.  Because when it comes to drowning, prevention starts at home — and it starts with you.  Learn More and Get Resources  Free Be Pool Safe resources, including home pool safety checklists and campaign materials, are available at: 👉 www.drowningprevention.org.au/bepoolsafe   Together, with simple actions and consistent messages, we can make this summer safer for every Tasmanian child.

Removing Barriers, Building Confidence: Project Elevate at Wyee Public School “Many of our students would not have been able to attend swimming lessons if there was a cost involved, the ones who needed it most were able to go because it was free.”— Wyee Public School Representative A Rare and Valuable Opportunity Wyee Public School joined Project Elevate because it provided a rare and valuable opportunity — free swimming and water safety lessons for all students. The school recognised that financial barriers often prevent families from accessing learn-to-swim programs. Offering the program at no cost ensured that every child, regardless of circumstance, could gain essential skills and confidence around water. Confidence and Skills That Grow in the Water Teachers observed remarkable changes in students’ confidence, swimming ability, and understanding of water safety. Students who were initially anxious in the water became more relaxed and engaged. They developed stronger swimming strokes, improved technique, and learned what to do in real-life aquatic situations. The trainers’ approach — grouping students into ability-based groups — allowed for highly differentiated instruction that met each child at their level. “The trainers were very organised, engaging, and supportive. The students were excited and proud of their progress.” Supporting Learning Beyond the Pool Project Elevate fitted seamlessly within the school’s Physical Education (PE) and PDHPE curriculum, promoting teamwork, wellbeing, and personal development. The program supported the school’s goals of building resilience, encouraging active lifestyles, and improving student wellbeing, while ensuring students gained vital life skills in water safety. “We could see growth in every child, not just in their swimming, but in their teamwork, confidence, and willingness to give things a go.” A First Experience That Made a Lasting Impact For many staff and students, this was their first experience participating in a formal swimming program. Both teachers and students found the sessions fun, positive, and highly engaging, with the supportive trainers creating a safe and enjoyable learning environment. The program also helped staff feel more connected to students’ physical education experiences. Creating Access Where It Matters Most Most importantly, the program’s accessibility ensured that those who needed swimming and water safety education the most could finally take part. Project Elevate demonstrated how removing cost barriers and delivering structured, inclusive programs can create lasting change in student confidence, safety, and wellbeing. The success of the program has inspired both staff and students to continue building on their new skills and appreciation for water safety, ensuring the whole community is safer and more confident around water.