Laos teenager Phonethip Ophaso didn't get the opportunity to tick off a bucket list item and swim in the ocean on Thursday.
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But the 19-year-old TAFE Wollongong student took great delight in picking up some beach safety tips from experienced surf lifesavers and lifeguards.
Phonethip joined more than 100 of her fellow TAFE students at Wollongong beach for the multicultural beach safety workshop presented by Surf Life Saving NSW.
"I hope to learn to swim soon and swim in the ocean," she said.
SLSNSW community education manager Mike Anderson said the program is a vital part of building a closer relationship with multicultural communities.
It also builds on the work SLSNSW is doing with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.
Mr Anderson said with summer just around the corner it is important that students with English as a second language are familiar with the coastal environment.
Wollongong City SLSC was the venue for this vital pre-summer program, which came from a need to reach populations that are often found to be at a higher risk of drowning.
He said sadly, a number of drownings and rescues in the Illawarra region in recent years highlights the need for greater education on surf and beach safety for local and international students.
Some of the participants were from land-locked countries such as Laos and could not swim or had never seen the ocean until they arrived recently in Australia.
Others shared stories about growing up learning that red flags on the beach signified danger and to stay away.
SLSNSW CEO Steven Pearce, who is himself an Illawarra lifesaver said educating international visitors was an important part of the role of the modern lifesaver.
"We have so many people from different backgrounds visiting each weekend and we are always telling them the best place to swim and the importance of beach safety.
“Reaching as many students as possible before they ever head to the beach forms a key part of our educational strategy and it’s why we do programs such as this," he said.
During the session lifesavers and lifeguards demonstrated some of the rescue equipment they use and talked about the dangers of rip currents and other hazards.
A practical demonstration of CPR techniques was of great interest to the particpants.
"We’re fortunate in Australia that the beach and coastal environment is very much a part of our lives and culture and it is easy sometimes to overlook that other nations do not have those same opportunities," Mr Anderson said.
"If we can work with these communities and give them this information about how to keep safe at the beach before they head to the ocean then they can embrace and use this knowledge to make informed choices.
"Going forward we want to continue to work with CALD communities because as lifesavers we want everyone to be able to enjoy the beach safely."
Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
