Water safety programs

Open Water Learning Experience (OWLE) program

The Life Saving Victoria Open Water Learning Experience (OWLE) program creates ‘Everyday Lifesavers’ out of Victorian students, by teaching them practical and engaging water safety, lifesaving and emergency response skills. The OWLE program is designed to empower students to make safe aquatic related decisions while enjoying their local waterway. The OWLE program is ideal to enhance your school’s swimming and water safety or camp programs.

The program aligns to the Victorian Curriculum and is supported by free online resources and cross-curriculum lesson plans for Foundation (Prep) to Year 10. Life Saving Victoria, in partnership with the Victorian YMCA, delivers the OWLE program in Victorian YMCA Camps.

Sink or Swim program

The Life Saving Victoria Sink or Swim program teaches students about water safety from the expertise of a surf lifesaver. The interactive one-hour program empowers students of all ages to keep themselves and others safe in a range of aquatic environments including, beaches, rivers, lakes, pools and the home, through engaging practical activities. Sink or Swim can enhance your school’s water safety program or prepare your students for upcoming aquatic recreation excursions and camps.

The program aligns to the Victorian Curriculum and is supported by free online resources and cross-curriculum lesson plans for Foundation (Prep) to Year 10.

Swim and Survive program

The Swim and Survive program is a national swimming and water safety initiative of the Royal Life Saving Society that seeks to increase swimming and water safety skills of Australian children in order to prevent drowning and increase participation in safe aquatic activity.

Swim and Survive is a program that can easily be implemented into a large aquatic facility, a private swim school, swimming club or even be delivered as a school swimming and water safety program, delivered by school teachers. The program includes a comprehensive set of resources and awards to support its delivery.

Water safety education – Everyday Lifesaver app

The Everyday Lifesaver App uses interactive animations and games to help teach secondary school students about water safety, emergency responses and how to deliver CPR.

The app can be downloaded from the iTunes and Google Play stores.

For more information and teacher support resources, visit the Everyday Lifesaver website.

Grey Medallion program

The Grey Medallion program is a Royal Life Saving water safety and lifesaving skills initiative for people over 55 years of age. It aims to encourage a healthy, independent and active lifestyle through the development of essential skills in order to participate in aquatic recreation activities safely.

The program provides older adults with personal survival techniques, improved swimming skills, knowledge to deal with emergency situations and a thorough understanding of water safety, in order to reduce the likelihood of drowning. The program is inclusive of all abilities, including non-swimmers.

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