royal life saving society australia - tasmania … · royal life saving society australia -...

Royal Life Saving Society Australia – Tasmania: Annual Report 2013-14

ROYAL LIFE SAVING SOCIETY AUSTRALIA - TASMANIA

2013-14 ANNUAL REPORT


ABOUT

Royal Life Saving Society Australia – Tasmania (RLST) is focused on reducing drowning and promoting

healthy, active and skilled communities through innovative, reliable, evidence based advocacy; strong and

effective partnerships, quality programs, products and services; underpinned by a cohesive and sustainable

national organisation.

RLST is a public benevolent institution dedicated to reducing drowning and turning everyday people into

everyday community lifesavers. We achieve this through:

Advocacy

Education

Training

Health Promotion

Aquatic Risk Management

Community Development

Research

Media and Marketing

Sport, Leadership and Participation

International Networks

We are guided by the values of safety, quality, integrity and the humanitarian tradition and have been

serving the Tasmanian community for almost 100 years.

Royal Life Saving Society Australia – Tasmania proudly and gratefully acknowledges the support of the

following key partners and stakeholders:

Royal Life Saving Society Australia

AUSTSWIM

Tasmanian Community Fund

Tasmanian Government

Royal Life Saving Society Australia - Tasmania

Tel: +61 03 6243 7558

Fax: +61 03 6243 7793

e: [email protected]

www.royallifesaving.com.au

1/4 Franklin St, Lindisfarne

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.royallifesaving.com.au/


THE ROYAL LIFE SAVING SOCIETY (Established 1891)

PATRON

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN

PRESIDENT

H.R.H. PRINCE MICHAEL OF KENT, KCVO

DEPUTY PRESIDENT

CLIVE HOLLAND

THE ROYAL LIFE SAVING SOCIETY AUSTRALIA (Established 1894)

PATRON

HER EXCELLENCY MS QUENTIN BRYCE AC, GOVERNOR GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH

OF AUSTRALIA (until March 2014)

HIS EXCELLENCY THE HONOURABLE SIR PETER COSGROVE AK MC (Retd), GOVERNOR

GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

PRESIDENT

DIANNE MONTALTO ESM.

DEPUTY PRESIDENT

CHIEF JUSTICE TERENCE HIGGINS AO

THE ROYAL LIFE SAVING SOCIETY

AUSTRALIA TASMANIA BRANCH

INCORPORATED (Established 1915)

PATRON

THE HONOURABLE PETER UNDERWOOD AC GOVERNOR OF TASMANIA

PRESIDENT

PENE SNASHALL

DEPUTY PRESIDENT

ALAN B. SWINTON OAM, QPM, JP


COMMONWEALTH HONOURS

VICE PRESIDENT

Sir Basil Osborne, CBE

Doug Plaister, AO MBE

LIFE GOVERNOR Sir Basil Osborne, CBE


Alan Swinton OAM, QPM, JP

LIFE MEMBER Alan Swinton OAM, QPM, JP

SERVICE CROSS Nigel Carins Mark Chandler

Mark Hayes

Gary Kearney

Alison McIntyre

David Mourant



Robyn Pryce-Jones Alan Swinton OAM, QPM, JP

Mark Hayes

FIRST BAR TO SERVICE CROSS Gary Kearney

David Mourant


Robyn Pryce-Jones


SECOND BAR TO SERVICE

CROSS Doug Plaister, AO MBE

THIRD BAR TO SERVICE CROSS Doug Plaister, AO MBE

SERVICE MEDAL Zearust Abbott

Judi Adams

Mark Barling

J William Brain

Vanessa Brown

Nigel Carins

Mark Chandler

Cynthia Craw

Roslyn Dillon

Geoffrey Frier

JJ Gardner

Peter Goss

R Mark Hayes

Dianne Hollister

Joseph Ingles Judy Jessup

Gary Kearney

James Lyons

Dianne McHenry

Alison McIntyre

Amanda Mayes

Natalie Meldrum

Margaret Miller

David Mourant

Richard Penwright


R Barry Plaister

Robyn Pryce-Jones

Pamela Roberts

Noel Ruddock AM

Selby Simpson Alan Swinton OAM, QPM, JP Anne Thwaites

Brian Webb

Ceri Weeks

BAR TO SERVICE MEDAL Zearust Abbott

William Brain

Nigel Carins

Mark Chandler

Roslyn Dillon Peter Goss

R Mark Hayes

Gary Kearney

Margaret Miller

David Mourant


Noel Ruddock Alan Swinton OAM, QPM, JP BV Webb


HONORARY ASSOCIATES Rev Brother TG Addicoat

Barbara Baker

Betty Baker

Rev Brother N Baker

M Church

H Clennett

P Collins

Donald Ebsworth

LJ Elridge

Peter Fehre

Geoffrey Frier

M Goss

N Goss Thomas Howard

Joseph Ingles

Frank Jenkins

DR Lewis

Donald McDonald

B McKittrick

H Meredith

Ronald Millington

Margaret Miller

David Mourant


R Barry Plaister

Robyn Pryce-Jones

Noel Ruddock AM

AA Rundle

Geoffrey Templeman

B Valentine

Donald Wicks

DIPLOMA HOLDERS Barbara Baker Betty Baker

Barbara Brain

Walter Bridley

Patricia Burbury

Dorothy Flinn

Steven Foley

Suzanne Geeves

Phillip Keam

Thomas Simpson

Roslyn Walsh

Paul Webb

Robyn Pryce-Jones


AUSTRALIAN HONOURS

SENIOR GOVERNOR Sir Basil Osborne, CBE


LIFE MEMBERSHIP Gary Kearney

Robyn Pryce-Jones


MERITORIOUS SERVICE

MEDAL Barbara Brain

Anne Burrows

Nigel Carins

Joseph Ingles

Gary Kearney

Alison McIntyre

Margaret Miller

David Mourant

Robyn Pryce-Jones

Noel Ruddock


COMPANION Nigel Carins

Mark Chandler

Peter Goss Diane Hollister

Gary Kearney

Dianne McHenry

Alison McIntyre

David Mourant

Robyn Pryce-Jones


FELLOW Peter Goss

Dr Paul Luckin

Dianne McHenry

Mark Chandler

R Mark Hayes

ASSOCIATE R Mark Hayes

Jennifer Mazengarb

Natalie Meldrum

Ann Walker

Ceri Weeks

AUSTRALIAN SERVICE MEDAL Neryl Mills

AUSTRALIAN RESUSCITATION

CLUB Kate Chambers


TASMANIAN HONOURS

VICE PRESIDENTS George Brothers

Patrick Chu

Francis Loo


Maxwell Robinson AO QPM DH Tribolet

LE Weidenhofer

Sir Alfred White

LIFE GOVERNORS Patrick Chu

Lyell Dowding

Henri Kwok

Francis Loo


Laurie Salmon

Vincent Shaw OAM

LIFE MEMBERS Mark Chandler

Patrick Chu

Gary Kearney

Henri Kwok

Francis Loo David Mourant


Robyn Pryce-Jones

Vincent Shaw OAM


MERITORIOUS SERVICE

BADGE Zearust Abbott

Judi Adams

TG Addicoat

J Aschman

Betty Baker

Mark Barling

Barbara Brain Vanessa Brown

Anne Burrows

Nigel Carins

David Chambers

Mark Chandler

H Clarke

MERITORIOUS SERVICE

BADGE (continued) Betty Clennett

BY Chiu

Graeme Cooksey

Sue Cooksey

Patrick Chu

Roslyn Dillon

K Edwards

Frederick Eiszele

Peter Fehre

Peter Fox

JJ Gardner

Suzanne Geeves

Russell Goonan

Peter Goss

Alan Goodfellow

Judy Gould

Katherine Greenwood

Kathy Hawkes

Mark S Hayes

R Mark Hayes

Andrew Herbert

Robert Hill

Diane Hollister

Christopher Holloway

Robin Hood

Thomas Howard

Sister Ignatius

Joseph Ingles

Frank Jenkins

Alan Jolly

Gary Kearney

Donald Keating

Henri Kwok

Phillip Large

YW Law

TS Leung

Francis Loo

Dr Paul Luckin

James Lyons Amanda Mayes

P McDonald

Jennifer Mazengarb

Donald McDonald

Dianne McHenry

Alison McIntyre

MERITORIOUS SERVICE

BADGE (continued) B McKittrick

Natalie Meldrum

Margaret Miller

William Mills

Rowen Morphett

David Mourant

Debra Norris

Camille O’Meara


Tracey Parry

Betty Parssey

D Payton

Suzanne Peacock

Richard Penwright


R Barry Plaister

Russ Porter

Robyn Pryce-Jones

Howard Richardson

A John Rigby

Pamela Roberts

Dennis Robertson

Noel Ruddock

Daphne Saarman

Vincent Shaw OAM

Alan Swinton OAM, QPM, JP Alma Swinton

KC Tam

Geoffrey Templeman

Anne Thwaites

N Vaughan

Kye Vincent

Gerald Viney

Ann Walker

Brian Webb

Ceri Weeks

Sir Alfred White

Pamela White

Sue Wragge Patrick Yeung


TASMANIAN TROPHIES

D.M. LUCKIN MEMORIAL TROPHY This trophy is awarded annually in memory of a past member, the late Denys M Luckin, to recognise an

individual who has given outstanding service to the Branch over an extended period.

1994 Alan Swinton OAM, QPM, JP

1995 Nigel Carins 1996 Gary Kearney 1997 David Mourant 1998 Alison McIntyre 1999 Robyn Pryce-Jones 2000 Diana McHenry 2001 Peter Goss 2002 Mark Chandler 2003 R Mark Hayes 2004 Jennifer Mazengarb 2005 Jill Bell 2006 Sue Wragge 2007 Suzanne Peacock 2008 Judi Adams 2009 Neryl Mills 2010 Alan Swinton OAM, QPM, JP 2011 Amanda Mayes 2012 Andrew Herbert

2013 Ceri Weeks

2014 Gary Kearney

DR. P. G. LUCKIN PRESIDENT'S TROPHY

This trophy is awarded annually to recognise the exceptional service given to the society during the past twelve

months.

1997 Vanessa Brown

1998 Lorraine Brown 1999 Russell Goonan 2000 Alison McIntyre 2001 Jamie McIntyre 2002 Kate Mirowski 2003 Alison McIntyre 2004 Neryl Mills 2005 Amanda Mayes 2006 Rowan Morphett 2007 Kate Harland 2008 Vaughan Smith 2009 Camille O’Meara 2010 Julia Fassina 2011 Tracey Parry 2012 Tracey Parry & Neryl Mills

2013 Carolynn Taylor

2014 Amanda Mayes


2013-14 OFFICE BEARERS

PRESIDENT

Pene Snashall

VICE PRESIDENT


HON. SECRETARY

Camille O'Meara

HON. TREASURER

Dale Eastley (until February 2014)

David Lancaster (July 2014)

STATE COUNCILLORS

Mark Chandler Mark Hayes Don Keating

Gary Kearney Geoff Weiczorski (until January 2014)

APPOINTMENTS

GENERAL MANAGER

Christian Farley (until March 2014)

Mel Bush (from May 2014)

AUDITOR

Michael Burnett F.T.I.A., A.C.A.

NATIONAL COUNCILLOR

Pene Snashall

PUBLIC OFFICER


WATER SAFETY COUNCIL

Christian Farley (until March 2014)

Pene Snashall (interim)

AUSTRALIAN RESUSCITATION COUNCIL

Mark Hayes/Gary Kearney


PRESIDENT’S REPORT

In presenting the Royal Life Saving Tasmania’s 99th Annual Report and Financial Statement, I reflect on a year of

change, challenge, commitment and congratulations!

The year witnessed changes at the helm, both operational and at a governance level. We successfully recruited for a

new General Manager following the departure of Christian Farley to Gymnastics Australia. The appointment of

Mel Bush to the role has ensured the operational team can focus on what they do best; engagement with

stakeholders to improve water safety skills across the Tasmanian community. My gratitude to Neryl and John for

holding the “fort” so professionally and so calmly.

Collectively we have developed a strengthened governance and operational structure however, it has still been

difficult to achieve the aim of developing a stronger financial base necessary for the future success of RLST.

However, through the efforts of Mel and board members, the organisation has secured partnerships with

organisatons that will see long-term, sustainable benefits.

Challenges were aplenty and in respect of future funding from governments, both State and Federal, will continue.

The national branch was successful in gaining significant funding from the incoming Abbott government and

Tasmania will use our share to expand our water safety messages in rural and remote areas, with a particular

focus on safe recreation and work around dams and inland waterways.

A large work commitment has been necessary to meet the Registered Training Organisation compliance standards.

We support these rigorous requirements, as training quality is paramount in our business however, we are

continuing to investigate options to maintain currency of our training programs while minimising the administrative

burden on the organisation.

Our supporters continued to show their commitment to the organisation and our mission. Our training

workforce remained available to deliver training across the State, often with a moment’s notice. Huge

appreciation to board member, Gary Kearney for the work and sound advice he provided to these activities.

Strengthened relationships with other major aquatic safety and recreational organisations has resulted in a more

prominent role for RLST, through Mel, with the Tasmanian Water Safety Council. Tasmania’s participation in

national decision making and events was also strengthened through our participation on the National Council.

Together with the national office, Hobart will host the 2015 national Lifesaving as a Sport championship in January

where we will showcase the strength of RLST and the commitment from our supporters.

The first half of 2015 will be a very busy but exciting time, and provide our supporters and past members with an

opportunity to participate in our Centenary celebrations in May.

In closing, I extend my warm thanks to the board directors in particular to our Vice-President, Alan Swinton and

Secretary, Camille O’Meara, whose counsel and wisdom has been invaluable as I’ve taken the reins of this valuable

and worthwhile organisation. The Board is a great team, each with strengths, expertise and skills and we are

buoyed by the future opportunities. We know there are challenges but we are committed to returning RLST to its

place as the key provider of aquatic services training in Tasmania.

Pene Snashall


GENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT

Royal Life Saving Tasmania has emerged from a challenging and change filled year as a stronger organisation and

with an even greater strategic focus on our overarching goal of drowning prevention and reduction with a view to

zero drowning deaths in Tasmania.

Tasmania has seen an increase in drowning fatalities in 2013-14 compared with the previous year’s figures and

tragically we have also bucked the national trend in terms of drowning deaths in the birth to 4 years age group.

Where there has been a downward trend in this key focus area nationally, Tasmania experienced quite the

opposite with two small lives lost in the 2013-14 period.

These sobering figures serve to galvanise our resolve to step up our advocacy and educational messages and

programs focusing on those at risk areas of the community to ensure we not only provide the required

information but also develop the skills required to identify the risks and where required save a life.

Our flagship Keep Watch program, focusing on the 0-4 year age group has become an even more sought after

tool in the organisation’s suite of educational package. Thanks to Department of Premier and Cabinet’s

Communities, Sport and Recreation Tasmania (SRT) we have been able to roadshow the program throughout the

state targeting new parents groups, community and neighbourhood houses (both rural and regional) and members

of the aquatic industry.

One of our elemental strategies is to ensure clear pathways, educational and lifesaving pathways from the very

young to our seniors and everyone in between. 2013-14 saw an increased take up of the Swim & Survive Program

which reflects an increase in valued partnerships. These partnerships included but were certainly not limited to

the ‘English as an additional language program’, an arm of Curriculum and Program Services within the

Department of Education. The flexibility of the Swim & Survive Program allowed RLST to provide an innovative,

fun and skill based program to migrant and refugee children in a range of age groups, from a range of schools and a

range of cultural and linguistically diverse back grounds.

In ensuring the equitable delivery of aquatic programs across the community we must thank the Tasmanian

Community Fund for their ongoing support of the MATES or Making Aquatics a Terrific Experience Seminars,

which continues to provide individuals with a disability, impairment or mobility issue, along with their friends,

family and carers with the skills and support to enjoy and benefit from our aquatic environment. Carer groups

and individuals alike took advantage of this fantastic AUSTSWIM initiative.

Further ensuring a targeted approach to drowning prevention in Tasmania in line with the organisations strategic

framework and promotion of a healthy and active lifestyle RLST has enjoyed ongoing support for the ever popular

Grey Medallion program. Focusing on the four key components of water safety knowledge, resuscitation and

emergency care, aquatic exercise, personal survival and lifesaving skills our Grey Medallion program has supported

a growing number of Tasmanians over the age of 55 in not only increasing their skills but also their health,

wellbeing and opportunities for social inclusion.


Being in the enviable position of delivering commercial services of the highest quality such as a suite of First Aid

accreditations, CPR, Bronze Medallion and Pool Lifeguard to name but a few allows us, with the support of our

valued partners, to provide sustainable programs to wider community.

While as an autonomous entity RLST focuses heavily on ensuring the sustainability of our programs and services

both strategically and operationally we have nevertheless enjoyed an unprecedented level of support from the

national body. This ongoing support coupled with strong leadership has ensured clarity of purpose across the

states and provided options and opportunities for Tasmania to engage at a national level.

I acknowledge the ongoing support of the Department of Premier and Cabinet Communities, Sport and

Recreation Tasmania, the Tasmanian Community Fund and the Community Support Levy via the Department of

Health & Human Services. Without this continued support RLST would not be in a position to deliver the level of

focused, lifesaving, educational programs directly aligned with our strategic outcomes in drowning prevention.

In acknowledging the support provided to RLST from our national body and invaluable funding bodies it would be

remiss of me not to recognise the tireless work of our state team; Office Manager Neryl Mills, Program &

Administration Support Officer John Hall, our Board of Directors and incredible Trainers and Assessors. With

such a focused and dedicated team in both Tasmania and at a national level we are looking forward to the coming

twelve months with a renewed sense of excitement and purpose.

Mel Bush


STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

Vision To save lives and reduce injury by enabling all Tasmanians to have access to

both water safety and first aid education so that they can participate safely in

aquatic and recreational environments.

Mission To ensure Everyone can be a Lifesaver

Organisational Goals


STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME for the

year ended 30 June 2014

Income

2012-13 2013-14

Administration Course Fees

Other Income

Safety Services

Total Income

$195,368

$184,338

$23,884

$10,327

$413,917

$226,131

$208,438

$2,406

$7,409

$444,384

Total Cost of Sales $:942 $1,145

Expense Administration

Aquatic Training

First Aid/Resus

Other

Depreciation

Total Expenses

$:263,292

$144,480

$8,835

$9,230

$10,459

$436,296

$260,620

$155,963

$7,782

$878

$10,207

$435,450

Operating Profit -$23,321 $7,789

Other Expenses

Disposal of Assets

$0

$0

Net Surplus/Deficit -$23,321 $7,789


STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION as at 30 June 2014

Assets

Total Current

Total Non-Current

Total Assets

2012-13

$146,765

$163,345

$310,110

2013-14

$200,712

$153,139

$353,851

Liabilities

Total Current Liabilities Provisions

Grants

$51,890

$24,442

$93,321

$52,480

$21,712

$131,411

Total Liabilities $169,653 $205,603

Net Assets $140,458 $148,248

Accumulated Funds

Retained Earnings

$163,778

$140,458

Current Year Surplus -$23,321 $7,789

Total Accumulated Funds $140,458 $148,247


EDUCATION AND AQUATIC RISK

MANAGEMENT

Royal Life Saving Society Australia’s water safety education programs are designed so all

Australians can have the skills and knowledge to safely participate in a range of aquatic

activities.

Our programs build awareness of dangers in aquatic environments, teach essential water

safety skills and develop lifesaving skills that may one day save a life; reflecting our

organisation’s mission that ‘Everyone can be a lifesaver’.

The range of programs allows individuals to continually develop their skills and knowledge

as they move through different life stages, reflecting the unique challenges that are specific

to each age group. These challenges include: water familiarisation for young children,

foundation skills for primary aged children, essential survival and lifesaving skills for

teenagers, and water safety for older adults.

Our key education programs include:

• Swim and Survive

• Water Smart

• Keep Watch

• Bronze Medallion

• Grey Medallion

SWIM AND SURVIVE Swim and Survive is a comprehensive swimming and water safety initiative of RLSSA that

seeks to increase the swimming and water safety skills of Australian children to prevent

drowning and increase participation in safe aquatic activity.


Learn to swim, swimming lessons and infant aquatics are all terms commonly used across

the aquatic industry for programs that seek to build swimming skills. Swim and Survive is

all of these, but most importantly the program ensures that the essential components of

personal survival and water safety are provided, in addition to a process of developing

strong and effective swimming technique. Swim and Survive is delivered in pools, schools

and other aquatic locations across Tasmania by qualified swimming and water safety

instructors. In 2013-14, 3841 children aged from 6months to 14 years participated in a

Swim and Survive course.

KEEP WATCH RLST is working hard to raise awareness of water safety and in doing so, eliminate

drowning deaths across Tasmanian pools, inland waterways, creeks and rivers. Through

nationally coordinated and locally driven education campaigns we can reduce the number

of drowning deaths and near-drownings that occur in Australia each year.

Key campaigns during 2013-14 included the Keep Watch program which aims to prevent

drowning deaths of children under five years of age in all aquatic locations. For nearly 20

years Keep Watch has been educating Australian parents and carers on how to keep their

children safe when in, on or around the water. Keep Watch sessions where conducted

throughout the state, in locations such as early learning and child care centres, aquatic

facilities and community centres, and included the distribution of information brochures

and other educational collateral.

AQUATIC RISK MANAGEMENT

RLST works to improve industry safety and risk management standards through key

activities including:

• Guidelines for Safe Pool Operation

• Guidelines for Water Safety

• Aquatic Facility Safety Assessments

In 2013-14, RLST undertook eight audit assessments of commercially operated swimming

pools and centres across the State.


TRAINING

Our key training programs include:

• First Aid and Emergency Care

• Resuscitation (CPR)

• Pool Lifeguarding

• Bronze Medallion

• Swim Teaching (AUSTSWIM)

• Pool Operations

• Professional Development

FIRST AID

RLST First Aid training courses are compliant with Workplace Health and Safety requirements and provide participants with the knowledge and skills to administer first

aid to a victim of illness or injury until professional medical help arrives. Anyone -

parents, workers, passers-by - may have to give first aid at some time, giving credence to

RLSSA’s motto that “Everyone can be a lifesaver”.

Royal Life Saving provides both traditional and flexible training delivery methods

including First Aid in a Box – a self-paced, flexible training program. Candidates receive

their own learning mannequin and DVD and complete the theory and online

assessments at their own pace. Upon completion of the online content and learning

CPR, candidates are required to attend a two-hour practical workshop to refine their

first aid skills and be assessed for their first aid qualification. In 2013-14, 398 Statements

of Attainment were issued and 78 clients re-accredited.

RESUSCITATION

Resuscitation - the actions taken to keep a person alive after their own breathing and heartbeat have stopped - can mean the difference between life and death. Early

intervention with Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) can, and does, save lives. RLST


resuscitation courses give participants training and knowledge in Basic Life Support, CPR,

Defibrillation, Oxygen Resuscitation and Emergency Care.

All RLST resuscitation training is delivered in accordance with the Australian

Resuscitation Council (ARC) guidelines and gives both theoretical and practical

experience in CPR and associated emergency care. In 2013-14, 312 Statements of

Attainment were issued and 244 clients re-accredited.

POOL LIFEGUARD

Australian Lifeguards are world-renowned for their high levels of skill and knowledge in

accident prevention and rescue response. The minimum industry requirement for

employment as a Pool Lifeguard in a swimming pool or aquatic facility is the RLSSA Pool

Lifeguard Certificate.

This entry-level qualification is recognised across Australia and in many other countries

and provides a gateway into an exciting lifeguarding and aquatics career. The course

covers essential modules such as accident prevention, administration, public relations,

education, rescue response and basic technical operations.

RLST provides further professional development courses and opportunities, building a

stronger aquatics industry. In 2013-14, 85 Statements of Attainment were issued and

192 existing lifeguards were re-accredited.

BRONZE MEDALLION

The majority of drowning accidents occur inland, in rivers, dams and home swimming pools. As these places are rarely patrolled by qualified lifeguards it is important that all

members of the community learn some lifesaving techniques. The thoughtful application

of the knowledge and skill provided within the RLST Bronze Medallion program will save

lives, ensure the rescuer’s safety and prevent a possible double drowning. The RLST

Bronze Medallion is recognised as the minimum standard for a qualified lifesaver.

This award also increases employment opportunities with many pools and aquatic

centres as they require employees who conduct aquatic programs to have their Bronze

Medallion. In 2013-14, 52 Bronze Stars were issued, 471 Bronze Medallions and 5

Bronze Crosses.

SWIM TEACHING - AUSTSWIM

AUSTSWIM has developed quality aquatic education program for those wishing to enter

the aquatic industry as a teacher of swimming and water safety. The AUSTSWIM

accreditation is the industry standard for swimming and water safety teachers and is delivered and recognised in each state and territory of Australia, and many countries

overseas. As a foundation member of AUSTSWIM, Royal Life Saving supplied

AUSTSWIM courses including:

• Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety


• Teacher of Adults

• Teacher of Aquatics to People with Disabilities

• Teacher of Competitive Strokes

• Teacher of Infant and Preschool Aquatics

In 2013-14, 111 Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety Certifications were issued and 55

teachers gained certification for undertaking the Extension Course.


COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

RLST actively implements a community development model that focuses on community

engagement, participation and communication. Our aim is to support local level training and

employment building opportunities for communities to address a range of health, social and

economic issues.

We are active in a range of communities including indigenous, rural and remote, refugee and

second and third generation arrivals and young children and families, with a focus on

supporting those communities with lower socio-economic indicators.

CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE (CaLD) PROGRAM

The Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) Community was again a focus for RLST

with programs extended across the state. This foundation program (as opposed to formal

learn-to-swim) was provided to young people from many secondary schools across the state

including Kings Meadows, Queechy, Brooks and Cosgrove in the south. The program taught

participants vital water safety skills and how to be generally water safe.

More than 100 students from many cultural backgrounds including Bhutan, Nepal and a

number of African countries participated in the course. Many participants subsequently

interest in engaging in formal learn-to-swim programs with assistance from RLST.

The project was made possible through funding from the Tasmanian Water Safety Council

and the Department of Premier and Cabinet. These water safety sessions helped migrants to develop confidence in the water, learn safety and rescue techniques and basic CPR skills.

This work will be continued in coming years.

MAKING AQUATICS A TERRIFIC EXPERIENCE (MATE)

In 2014, the delivery of the AUSTSWIM program MATE, Making Aquatics a Terrific Experience (MATE) was a key priority. This innovative and interactive community seminar

aimed at optimising health and wellness opportunities for those with a disability provides

carers with the skills and knowledge to take their loved one or client (ie their MATE) to the

pool for recreation activities. It is not a program about swimming strokes but rather a guide

to encourage and facilitate physical activity for people who may not have previously


participated in aquatic activities.

RLST received financial support from the Tasmanian Community Fund to provide this program to paid and unpaid carers at low cost around the State. The program is suitable for

all types of disabilities, from intellectual disabilities to those in a wheelchair, stroke victims

and people with autism. It offers comprehensive notes, real life scenarios, simulation

exercises and networking opportunities.

KEEP(ING) WATCH OVER OUR COMMUNITY

Through a grant from the Clarence City Council, RLST developed and delivered the Keep

Watch @ Bath Time courses to eight playgroups across the municipality.

In addition, Keep Watch courses were delivered statewide to other early childhood and

family organisations including the State Government Child & Health Centres, Launch into

Learning primary schools and associates of the Child Health Association of Tasmania. To ensure maximum promotion, marketing collateral was distributed to target aquatic centres

around the State.

WORKING WITH EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS

A strong partnership has been established with Lady Gowrie Tasmania, a statewide provider

of early childhood services, training and family support programs. First aid, CPR and a

tailored course on managing asthma and anaphylaxis were delivered to staff in north and

south regions. Through this valued stakeholder, RLST was also invited to present to the

national Childcare Association’s annual conference. Every Lady Gowrie Tasmania centre has

become a Keep Watch Ambassador, strengthening the message that water safety is

everyone’s business.

DELIVERING CPR TO NEW TASMANIANS

In partnership with the Royal Hobart Hospital’s Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit, and

sponsorship from The Allport Bequest, RLST continued to provide CPR sessions, free of

charge, to parents of premature children before their discharge from hospital. Parents of

premature babies, and some other paediatric patients, admitted to the NICU are offered

access to one-to-one CPR sessions. The program has been conducted on a regular basis for

the past three years during which almost 200 parents and their extended families have

benefitted.


National Drowning Report 2014 - Tasmania

DROWING SUMMARY

royal life saving society australia - tasmania … · royal life saving society australia -...

Documents