Making a Difference Through Water Safety
Making a Difference Through Water Safety
Water Skills for Life recognises that no child should be at risk simply because they don’t know how to float, recognise hazards, or call for help. Through practical, engaging, and scenario-based learning, the programme aims to equip young people with the skills and knowledge they need to safely enjoy New Zealand’s aquatic environments.
The Water Skills for Life programme focuses on much more than learning to swim. Students participate in practical activities designed to prepare them for real-life situations they may encounter in and around water. Lessons cover essential skills such as floating, safe entries and exits, survival techniques, hazard awareness, self-rescue skills, and safe decision-making. By learning through realistic scenarios, students gain valuable knowledge that can help them stay safe and respond effectively in a variety of environments.
Since June 2025, we have delivered an incredible 12,860 water safety lessons to 2,091 students from nine local schools. Participating schools have the option of either a four-lesson or eight-lesson programme, providing flexibility while ensuring students receive high-quality water safety education.
One of the schools to recently take part in the programme was Waimea Intermediate School. It has been incredibly rewarding to watch students develop their confidence and capabilities in the water while learning skills that could one day save their own life or the life of someone else.
Delivering a programme of this scale required a significant team effort. To help make these lessons possible, a number of experienced SwimMagic instructors from CLM facilities across NZ travelled to Richmond to support our local team. Their willingness assist demonstrates the strong collaboration that exists across the CLM network and a shared commitment to improving water safety outcomes for young New Zealanders.
This additional support meant we were able to successfully deliver the Water Skills for Life programme to local schools while continuing to provide regular SwimMagic lessons to the hundreds of children and families who participate in our learn-to-swim programme each week.
We are extremely proud of all our instructors and the work they have done in this space, the experiences they have delivered have been outstanding and through these programmes we are helping to create safer, more capable young people who can enjoy New Zealand’s waterways with greater confidence and awareness.
We look forward to continuing to support water safety education for local schools and young people in the future.
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