COMMUNITY EDUCATION 

Community education is an important part of aquatic safety. SLSNSW provides a number of courses and programs that help to promote surf safety, along with community courses in First Aid, Resuscitation and Advanced First Aid techniques.

School education programs provide an important introduction to the surf environment for many children. SLSNSW currently provide primary schools with the following surf safety education programs; Telstra Beach to Bush and the SLSA Surf’s Up classroom teaching resource.

SLSNSW also offers the general public a wide range of education and training, from Surf Survival, Bronze Medallion and First Aid to aquatic awareness programs for people from non-English speaking backgrounds (see ‘On the Same Wave’). As a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) SLSNSW offers nationally recognised training to its members and the general public.

TELSTRA BEACH TO BUSH

The Telstra Beach to Bush program is the largest educational initiative ever undertaken by Surf Life Saving. The program began as a result of research conducted by Surf Lifesaving Australia, which highlighted that 50% of people rescued from the surf lived more than 50km from the beach.

The program has been running successfully in NSW since 1991, going national in 2003.  Since then, more than 110,000 school children across Australia have attended Telstra Beach to Bush presentations, with the program travelling over 100,000km.

SLSNSW utilises surf lifesavers to present the program, and each year targets different areas with the aim of revisiting each area every three to four years. The program is delivered over one week during Term 4. The presentation lasts for one hour, and primarily focuses on beach and surf safety, however also touches on safety around home pools, dams and inland waterways.

For more information on the program please click here. For more information on becoming a Telstra Beach to Bush presenter, please click here.

SURF'S UP – AUSSIE KIDS LEARN THE ABC ABOUT SURF SAFETY

To coincide with 2007 Year of the Surf Lifesaver, Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) and the Curriculum Corporation announced a compelling new surf safety program, called Surf’s Up.

Surf’s Up is an engaging classroom resource containing a range of cross-curricular activities associated with surf lifesaving, water safety and the beach.  These teaching aides are developed to be adopted by teachers and integrated into their lesson plans.

Within the program there are four key learning areas which raise student awareness of issues relating to beach safety and the coastal environment, as well as enhancing the understanding of the role that surf lifesavers play in the community.

The activities are divided into middle primary and upper primary but can be modified for both. Each learning area contains teacher notes detailing learning outcomes, materials required, suggested teaching and learning strategies and student resource sheets for use in and out of the classroom.

A hardcopy of this resource has been sent to every Primary School in Australia, free of charge, through Scholastic Australia Book Club members.

Click here to download your copy of Surf's Up

SURF SURVIVAL CERTIFICATE

This course is designed to teach anyone with an interest in surfing the essentials of Surf Survival and the techniques of one-person rescue with the equipment at hand. This certificate is essential for all participants in school surfing activities and also highly recommended as a pre-requisite for anyone interested in surfing or taking part in a Learn to Surf program.

SURF RESCUE CERTIFICATE

Probationary surf lifesavers can achieve this award from the age of 13 to help prepare for active patrolling duties. The award trains candidates in rescue skills; first aid and patient management; resuscitation, plus a theoretical component exploring safety knowledge and surf awareness.

For more information please click here.

CERTIFICATE II IN PUBLIC SAFETY (AQUATIC RESCUE) / BRONZE MEDALLION

The Bronze Medallion is the core award for active surf lifesavers. It’s also possible to complete the Certificate II in Public Safety (Aquatic Rescue) through this course. People can gain their Bronze Medallion at the age of 15 as a member of any surf lifesaving club. The practical and theoretical sections of the award are designed to test a person’s competency in surf awareness, survival, patrol and rescue procedures, emergency care plus anatomy and physiology. A candidate’s physical fitness is tested by a 200m run-200m swim-200m run completed in under 8 minutes; a 400m pool swim to be completed in under nine minutes; simulated rescues using a rescue board, tube and as a crew in an Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB). All these skills combine to train candidates to be an effective member of a patrol team tasked with providing a safe beach and aquatic environment.

For more information please click here.