Royal Life Saving Kicks Off Move It AUS Programs

Royal Life Saving Society – Australia has been awarded a $240,000 Move It AUS Participation Grant from Sport Australia to deliver learn to swim and water safety awareness programs for communities around Australia.

Royal Life Saving’s Swimming Skills for an Active Life project aims to promote swimming and safe participation in aquatic activities, while highlighting the benefits of increasing daily physical activity for all life stages.

It is a nationwide initiative to support at-risk groups, including Indigenous, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities or those from remote or low-income households to get more active. The diverse suite of programs will be adapted for individuals to encourage less sedentary behaviours, while preventing non-communicable diseases, and improving social and mental health outcomes.

The funding will facilitate lessons for over 1000 people in more than 19 locations around Australia. As well as swimming skills and water safety awareness training, the funding will help to remove barriers to participation, such as transport to and from often very remote locations and the cost of lessons, pool entry and equipment such as goggles and caps.

The first programs have already kicked off in Victoria, Northern Territory and Western Australia, with the remaining projects being rolled out over the coming months.

Commenting on the Move It AUS Grant, Justin Scarr, CEO of Royal Life Saving, said “Royal Life Saving’s Swimming Skills for an Active Life project provides an opportunity for participants to gain a greater understanding of the importance of being active, encouraging them to embrace swimming and aquatic activity as a regular, enjoyable part of a healthy lifestyle.”