New Funding Puts More Auckland Kids in the Water
Co-ordinated funding brings free swim & survive skill development to 37,000 Auckland children.
Auckland, 2 April 2012 – New funding to the tune of $500,000 for a new learn to swim initiative will ensure 37,000 Auckland kids have over 320,000 free swimming lessons during 2012.
Sport Auckland today announced Water Safety New Zealand has agreed to contribute $500,000 towards Sport Auckland’s successful ‘Greater Auckland Aquatic Action Plan’ (GAAAP) learn to swim programme, securing its continuation during 2012.
GAAAP, launched in 2011, provides free swim and survive skill development to Year 3-6 children in Decile 1-6 schools across the Auckland region, says Sport Auckland CEO Daniel Gerrard.
“The new funding will enable the programme to reach an additional 200 schools during 2012.
“Last year Auckland recorded its highest number of drowning deaths (30) since 2002. It’s alarming when you also look at the declining swimming standards of New Zealand children. Only 21% of 12 year olds are able to swim 200 metres.
“GAAAP provides children with 8-10 free swimming lessons from a qualified instructor. Where there’s no school pool, lessons are at a Council or private facility.
“We’re delighted with this commitment by Water Safety New Zealand to GAAAP, and appreciate their investment in Auckland’s children,” says Mr Gerrard.
Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) chief executive Matt Claridge says the joint initiative will play a significant role in helping reduce Auckland’s high drowning toll.
“Auckland – by its population size, geography and climate – is inevitably going to feature prominently in New Zealand’s drowning statistics. However, initiatives such as GAAAP, which teach children not only the basics of how to keep themselves safe in and around the water, but also how to swim to survive, are crucial if we are to get our drowning toll down.”
Mr Claridge says WSNZ is committed to educating Aucklanders – and all New Zealanders – about water safety and its investment in the GAAAP programme is a good fit with other national campaigns underway.
“Sport Auckland has done a great job getting the programme up and running and we’re excited about this opportunity to help get more Auckland children into the water.”
The GAAAP programme’s success to date was also a significant factor in the organisation’s decision to commit additional funding.
$200,000 of the funding is earmarked for an existing learn-to-swim programme in Papakura/Franklin (Water Safety New Zealand’s Swim For Life) which will now come under the GAAAP umbrella. The $300,000 balance will combine with investments from ASB Community Trust, KiwiSport, and Sir John Walker’s Find Your Field of Dreams, to enable Sport Auckland and the Regional Sports Trust Alliance to deliver swim and survive lessons throughout the wider Auckland region.
St Therese School in Three Kings is participating in GAAAP, and Principal Brenda Mauger remarked on the noticeable improvement in the children’s swimming ability after receiving their free lessons.
“Some children were very nervous at the beginning, and it was quite amazing to see the progress they made over the 10 lessons.” says Mrs Mauger.
Daniel Gerrard of Sport Auckland says the goal now is to secure additional funding to extend GAAAP beyond the current age and decile parameters, to deliver free swimming lessons to more Auckland children.
“With the backing of schools and parents, the cross-sector support of aquatic providers and this strong endorsement from Water Safety New Zealand, we’re confident that GAAAP will become a core part of swim and survive education for Auckland’s kids beyond 2012,” says Mr Gerrard.