Community Programs
Surf Life Saving SA offers a range of beach and water safety programs designed to ensure that all community members have the chance to be educated in a way that is suited to their needs.
The Community Programs team offers specifically designed programs targeting key groups who may be overrepresented in the drowning statistics. These programs align with the SLSSA vision of zero preventable deaths in South Australia’s waters, and the SLSSA mission of saving lives, creating great South Australians and building sustainable, healthy communities.
Key focus groups include:
Multicultural communities and new migrants,
Indigenous communities,
Surf Education (school-based) program
Multicultural Communities
Welcome to SA Shores Program
The ‘Welcome to SA Shores’ program enables participants to learn vital beach and water safety skills to provide awareness of hazards to consider when visiting the beach. It is suitable for both non-experienced and experienced participants.
It is a six-week program for children, teens, and adults, beginning with five sessions at a pool, and a final beach day alongside our Surf Life Savers to put the basic skills learned in the pool into practice at the beach.
Over the six sessions, topics covered include:
Water Safety - water familiarisation, essential swimming skills, basic rescues, the use of Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs)
Beach Hazards - rips, tides, sandbars, aquatic life, sun safety
Surf Life Saving and Lifeguards - clubs, patrols, signals, the people and the SLS community
Want to know more? - the next program is to be confirmed but get in touch for more info…
Email: community.programs@surflifesavingsa.com.au
Phone: 8354 6996
Our Ukrainian Welcome To SA Shores program was a huge success, winning the AUSTSWIM National Local Community Initiative of the year for 2023!
Indigenous Programs
The Indigenous Surf Sports Program (ISSP)
This program unites SLSSA and local and regional communities, such as the Wiltja Residential Program, APY Lands and Yalata Communities, and the South Australian Aboriginal Sports Training Academy (SAASTA) school programs.
Through the support of the Indigenous Advancement Strategy, it aims to work with communities to promote water safety and empower students to achieve Surf Lifesaving Awards, such as:
SLS Bronze Medallion,
Surf Rescue Certificate,
CPR and First Aid awards,
as well as surf sports coaching
The Wiltja program involves approximately 150 students from the APY Lands who reside in Adelaide during the school term.
Metropolitan and regional schools involved in the program include: Coober Pedy Area School, Ceduna Area School, Port Lincoln High School, Stuart High School (Whyalla), Port Augusta Secondary School, John Pirie Secondary School (Port Pirie), Maitland Area School, Murray Bridge High School, Fremont-Elizabeth City High School, Salisbury High School, Para West Adult Campus, Le Fevre High School, Roma Mitchell Secondary School and Christies Beach High School.
Surf Education (Surf Ed)
Surf Education is our surf safety program delivered through schools.
They are on-beach sessions facilitated by the Department of Education’s Surf Ed instructors.
If you would like to inquire about having a Surf Education program at your school, email Andrew Henry (Andrew.henry728@schools.sa.edu.au) or call 8354 6900.
Community Program Casual Staff Opportunities
If you are interested in being involved in any of our Community Programs we would love to hear from you!
Programs are primarily run during the warmer months (October - April), however we do still have some opportunities pop up over the winter months so do get in touch.
Roles include: Instructors in Charge, Instructors, Assistant Instructors, Volunteers, and Presenters.
For more information, please visit the careers section on this website (click here)
The required qualifications for these roles can be found by clicking here
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