RESEARCH:

Water Safety New Zealand Report and Evaluation on Learn to Swim and Survive

UNIVERSITY OR ORGANISATION: Water Safety New Zealand

For over 60 years, Water Safety NZ (WSNZ) has sought to prevent water related deaths and injury through water safety education. In the past 30 years, despite significant growth in its population, New Zealand has seen a 50% reduction in the annual number of deaths by drowning. However, there continues to be around 100 deaths by drowning each year and over 35,000 water-related injuries, at an estimated cost of $NZ864 million. This report describes the WSNZ strategies to reduce New Zealand’s drowning rate through Swim and Survive programmes form primary school children; gives an overview of what is happening now to ensure children can swim; discusses the challenges facing the nation in making this goal a reality, outlines the costs associated with teaching children to be safe around and in water and suggests ways the public and sponsors can help.

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