“I feel it’s because Australia is an island. We’re so blessed here,” says Houra Lavassani from the Migrant Information Centre. “The beach, going to a river or a lake. It’s a fun thing to do, a lifestyle. It’s a part of Australian culture.”
For many of Australia’s migrant population, however, a swimming culture may be a culture that is quite unfamiliar.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics most recent population data indicates that 30.7% (more than 8 million) of Australia’s population was born outside the country (1). Their nations of birth may have been land locked, swimming lessons and swimming pools may have been inaccessible or accessible only to the wealthy, and swimming skills and water safety may not have been considered institutional or parental priorities.
“For many, the beach or the pool wasn’t part of daily life the way it is here,” says Nesma Said, originally from Egypt and the mother of two Surrey Park Swimming squad members. She continues, “From what I’ve seen in the Egyptian community and among other Muslim or multicultural families, swimming ability can be quite limited, especially for the parents. In Egypt, unless families were middle to upper class and living near coastal areas or having access to social and sport clubs, swimming wasn’t necessarily a priority or widely taught in schools.”
Confirming Nesma’s observation, research conducted for the Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030 classifies 41% of overseas-born Australian residents as poor swimmers (2). This, tragically, translates into migrant communities being disproportionately represented in fatal drowning statistics, with the Water Safety Strategy identifying multicultural communities as a key area upon which to focus in order to reduce national drowning numbers. The Strategy notes that the primary risk factors in multicultural communities are 1: a lack of swimming ability, water safety knowledge and experience and 2: low levels of awareness and perception of risk.
After the drowning of two Nepali men in 2024, Mr Anil Pokhrel from the Non-Resident Nepali Association, speaking to the Guardian newspaper, said, “A lot of people who come here, they are not aware of ocean culture, they don’t understand the dangers, they don’t know about reefs, tides or waves” (3).
In this context, Nesma observes that in Australia, swimming is much more than just a sport. “It is a critical safety skill,” she says, “With beaches, rivers, and pools being such a big part of life here, not knowing how to swim puts people at real risk.”
This risk to migrant families is at its highest in their first years in Australia. Ms Stacey Pidgeon, manager of research and policy at Royal Life Saving, Australia noted on the ABC, “Some of our research has shown, particularly for adults, it (learning to swim) is not a priority … particularly in those first five years when employment and education and finding a house are the priority” (4).
Nonetheless, understandably when the heat of summer sets in, migrant populations join the broader Australian population flocking to beaches, pools, lakes, and rivers. Learning swimming skills is crucial to enjoying these often remarkably beautiful water environments safely.
But learning to swim is not solely about safety. Selena (originally from India), Joy (from China), and Sarah (from Korea) have all been participants in Surrey Park Swimming’s Adult Learn to Swim Program for about a year. For Selena, it used to upset her that she did not have the confidence to join her children in the swimming pool when they would call out to her to come and play with them. Similarly, Joy was very scared of waves at the beach and would not go in with her family. Learning to swim has allowed them to engage with their children in summer water pursuits. And Sarah, whose daughter is a Surrey Park squad swimmer, takes pride in sharing swimming lesson stories with her family at the dinner table.
Pride, a sense of achievement, and overcoming fears are fundamental to the stories of each of these adult, migrant, learn to swim students. Selena sees this as something that can inspire her own children. She says, “I want to encourage my children to say, ‘Oh, see, Mum is scared of water but she is still learning swimming. She didn’t give up.’ It’s like I don’t want them to give up on things in their own lives.”
Houra from the Migrant Information Centre emphasizes further benefits for migrants to Australia. “It is a really, really good thing,” she says, “Not just because they learn a new skill, but because they make new connections with their community, make friendships in the community and also integration in the Australian community.” Nesma agrees, “Beyond safety, swimming is also a great way for families to integrate, connect socially, and feel included in Australian culture. It’s also something that promotes health and confidence, especially for young people.”
Good health, confidence, learning new skills, meeting people, facilitating integration, each and every one of these is so important in transitioning into a new environment, a new country and a new culture. And these, of course, are benefits of learning to swim in addition to the obvious: safety in the water for yourself and your family on those hot summer days.
Surrey Park Swimming has a comprehensive learn to swim program for adults. In addition to this, a portion of lesson fees from our Learn to Swim Programs go towards our Community Access Program for Swimming that provides free or subsidised lessons to refugee communities in our local area. These classes teach swimming skills and water safety. Surrey Park Swimming respects and understands the cultural and linguistic barriers that learning to swim may present to multicultural participants.
References:
- https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/australias-population-country-birth/latest-release
- https://www.watersafety.com.au/australian-water-safety-strategy/
- https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/article/2024/jun/15/life-saving-lessons-multicultural-leaders-urge-education-in-second-language-of-water-safety-after-latest-drownings
- https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-20/migrant-swim-safety-lessons-drowning-prevention/104234018
