VICSWIM Cultural - A Splash Hit
Tuesday 1 February 2011
A unique partnership between Aquatics & Recreation Victoria, Hobson’s Bay City Council and Spirit West Services has seen the delivery of the valuable community aquatic education and learn to swim program, VICSWIM Cultural, at the Laverton Swim and Fitness Centre.
The program, which concluded on Friday 21 January, attracted 58 participants mostly from Burma and the local Karen community. It also saw the engagement of local teachers in the program after they had previously completed an ARV AUSTSWIM Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety course, which enabled them to be able to give something back to their community.
The program also overcomes language barriers, as the experienced teachers are fluent in both English and Karen.
This low cost program was only possible through the generosity of ARV’s partners and afforded the opportunity for people form culturally diverse backgrounds to obtain a skill for life that can open many doors. As one of the older students, Kuku Poe Lah indicated, “After the lessons are over, I want to keep swimming and become one of the program’s swimming teachers”.
