Milne Bay aquatic &
Highfields recreation centre
Breaking fears with swimming lessons
for migrants and refugees drowning’s in rivers, dams and beaches are at an
all-time high”. Chad said.
Starting life in a new country is like jumping in the
deep end of a pool. Scary, daunting but it shows
great courage and strength. Our region has many
dams, creeks, ponds and pools that can potentially
hold hidden dangers. Milne Bay Aquatic Centre runs
a water awareness program for adult migrants and
refugees that are new to the community. Participants
who join get a taste of the water with a five-week
course that shows the fundamentals of swimming
basics and water safety. The program takes adults
through a theory lesson outlining the dangers around
water, followed by practical water awareness skills
that help in confidence building. Mercy Community Services is just one of the many
community groups who use Milne Bay for the water
awareness program. They understand that in Australia,
swimming is a favourite pastime, however, for many
new Australians who arrive with no experience in water
safety, learning to swim is an overwhelming task. Milne
Bay wants everyone to experience the benefits that
swimming can bring. Being able to swim is great for
exercise, relaxation and fun.
If you’re interested in attending, or are a community
group who’d like to access the service, please call
4688 6330 or email [email protected]
for more information.
Program manager, Chad Seng says the basis of the
program is to highlight the dangers around water,
but also to pass on the benefits of swimming to new
arrivals. “It’s so important to teach water-wise skills
to refugees and migrants’ settling in Queensland as
BOLD.
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