FREE Whanau Nui Water Safety Lessons This Summer

With drowning still the third highest cause of unintentional death in New Zealand, Manukau families are urged to take advantage of Whanau Nui family water safety and confidence lessons returning to Counties Manukau next week.

Whanau Nui runs over five days with one lesson per day providing children and their parents with confidence to take part in aquatic activities and develop essential water safety and swimming skills.

Parents will also learn skills that they can take away and pass on to other children and family members, but most of all everyone will have fun learning together in a relaxed and positive environment.

Lessons will be delivered by Swimsation, SwimMagic, Swimgym and Fulton Swim Schools over the next two weeks, at the eight locations listed below.

Numbers are limited so parents are urged to phone and make their booking early to avoid disappointment.

Whanau Nui is a collaborative project between Injury Free Counties Manukau and WaterSafe Auckland with funding from the NZ Community Trust.

18 – 22 January

Manurewa Aquatic Centre ph 09 269 4145
Lloyd Elsmore Park Leisure Centre, Pakuranga ph 09 537 0025
Massey Park Aquatic Centre, Papakura ph 09 298 8526
Papatoetoe Centennial Pool ph 09 278 6806
Waiuku ph 09 238 8088
Tuakau ph 09 238 8088

25- 29 January

Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Leisure Centre, Mangere ph 09 257 4484
Pukekohe / Patumahoe ph 09 238 1841

Background

Drowning is New Zealand’s third highest cause of unintentional death, behind roads and falls. On average 110 persons drown every year (DrownBase™) and 37 children aged 0-14 years are hospitalised as a result of water-related injury.

The objectives of Whanau Nui are to:
• Give participants an opportunity to learn basic water safety skills and increase their confidence in water
• Teach parents water safety skills which they can continue to reinforce with their children and other family members once the lessons have finished
• Deliver water safety messages to parents focusing on active supervision of children near water (Research has shown that 25% of our children are not adequately supervised at beaches (Moran, K. (2007, May). Water safety supervision of young children at beaches.) Swimming lessons do not negate the need for close and active adult supervision of children around water.
• Target at-risk groups that are over-represented in the drowning statistics, particularly Maori and Pacific

ENDS

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