In a state and national first, a group of young participants from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities – many of them teenagers – have completed their Surf Rescue Certificate (SRC) and become fully fledged volunteer lifesavers through a culturally sensitive training program at Wanda Surf Life Saving Club.
The landmark day in Sydney’s south began with their SRC assessment and culminated in a ceremonial presentation of patrol uniforms in the surf club a few hours later – the final steps in a bespoke, specially crafted journey towards breaking down barriers and establishing a greater understanding of beach safety that started many months ago.
The SRC is a foundation qualification for many junior surf lifesavers, equipping them with essential skills to join a patrol team and help perform rescues. It is a stepping stone to the Bronze Medallion, which is the core award for active patrolling surf lifesavers.
While this program in its existing form has been running for four years, with the first graduates earning their qualifications in 2022, the significance of this new milestone is in the age of the men who have undertaken the 2024/25 program.
The participants range from 13-22 years old and are of Middle Eastern, subcontinental and African heritage. It is the first time in NSW and more broadly, Australia that a program like this has produced teenage lifesavers.
“Every summer, we’re devastated by the loss of young lives to drownings — and young males from migrant communities are overrepresented,” Swim Brothers co-founder, Omar Mahmoud said.
“These groups often lack swim experience, surf literacy and the essential skills to stay safe at the beach.
“This culturally safe and bespoke pathway brings them into Surf Life Saving and surf culture, and helps close the gap in awareness, skills, and participation.”
“This program is about much more than swim and rescue skills,” fellow co-founder, Feroz Sattar added.
“For many young men, especially from Muslim, migrant and emerging communities, there’s been limited pathways to Surf Life Saving or the surf community.
“By creating those connections, we’re not just teaching skills — we’re building trust, relationships, and a shared sense of belonging.”
Since 2022, 15 men had graduated from the program, and that number has now nearly doubled after 11 young males donned the red and yellow for the first time today.
Previous participants have gone on to achieve rescue boat qualifications, while some are on their way to becoming Cert IV trainers and being capable of delivering the program to fellow members of the community in the future.
Minister for Emergency Services, Jihad Dib said this is the first time a program like this has produced teenage lifesavers in Australia.
“Nearly half of all coastal drownings in NSW are people born overseas,” he said.
“For these young men, not only are they improving their own surf safety understanding, but they can take the knowledge back to their community and help create real change.”
“The true heart of this program is not just the development of some new and very capable lifesavers within our ranks, but the ripple effect that their journey has within their communities,” SLSNSW CEO, Steve Pearce added.
“We’re very proud of the team at Wanda surf club, headed up by Denny Rowlands, and assistance from the Sutherland Shire Council lifeguards who tailor this program beyond our regular course structure to ensure these men are ready to hit the beach.”
Swim Brothers was founded by Omar Mahmoud and Feroz Sattar after a group of men from a western Sydney mosque almost drowned in a rip at a remote beach and were saved by off-duty surf lifesavers.
It began as a learn to swim program providing men from diverse communities with culturally-appropriate training – both in the pool and in the surf.
Sunday 27 July 2025