Many Victorians spend their holidays at the beach or at inland waterways such as rivers and lakes. These open-water environments are dynamic and hazardous and every year there are multiple drowning incidents of children aged five to 14 years of age.

To help keep children safe the LSV has developed the Lifesaving Education Program that harnesses a three-pronged approach to swimming and water safety to ensure that children:

1. Develop water safety knowledge
2. Acquire swimming skills
3. Transfer these competencies to various open-water environments.

With this program Victorian students are able to transfer the water safety knowledge they’ve learned in the classroom and swimming skills they’ve learned in the pool to stay safe in open-water environments.

What are Lifesaving Education Programs?

LSV’s Lifesaving Education Programs create ‘Everyday Lifesavers’ out of Victorian students, by teaching them practical and engaging water safety, lifesaving and emergency response skills. These skills empower students to make safe aquatic related decisions while enjoying their local waterways.

Lifesaving Education Programs are available for any year level across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria’s classrooms, beaches, lakes, pools, and rivers. The programs are versatile water-based excursions or classroom-based incursions that are adaptable to any level of competency, designed to teach students what different aquatic hazards are, how to identify them and what to do if they or someone else is in danger.

This progressive learning approach seamlessly complements students pool-based swimming lessons helping students of all abilities, skills and experience to be empowered to make safe decisions and respond appropriately to emergency situations.

A major part of LSV’s Lifesaving Education Program’s is helping students achieve the Victorian Water Safety Certificate (VWSC), which all students should be aiming to do by the time they finish primary school. In order to achieve this certificate they’ll need to show competencies in the areas of:

• Water safety knowledge
• Swimming
• Underwater skills
• Lifesaving
• Rescue skills
• Survival sequence

The Lifesaving Education Program supports students working towards three of the six components, namely water safety knowledge, lifesaving, and rescue skills.

Why Your Students Should Attend a Lifesaving Education Program

Lifesaving education programs introduce swimming and water safety skills in fun, adventurous and experiential learning experiences that make for one of a kind school excursions, incursion or end of year fun days, as they:

• Are practical and engaging, using everyday and lifesaving equipment
• Meet the Victorian Curriculum F – 10 Health and Physical Education requirements for swimming and water safety
• Teach lifesaving and emergency response skills with qualified instructors and Victorian lifesavers
• Empower students to make safe aquatic related decisions, and provide opportunities for lifelong involvement with swimming, water safety and lifesaving
• Offer experiences to try out lifesaving sport events during our carnival program
• Provide flexible delivery content and location for your school classroom, hall or gymnasium or at the beach, river or lake

Program Details

Life Saving Education in the Classroom

LSV’s incursion program is an excellent opportunity to teach students about water safety from the expertise of a surf lifesaver. This interactive experience empowers students to stay safe in a range of aquatic environments without having to leave their place of learning.

How does the program work?

The program is delivered as an incursion, at your school or nominated venue. This can be a school classroom, hall or gymnasium.

How long are our programs

Courses are typically 1 hour in duration, however times can be flexible to suit your needs.

What’s covered in this program?

Participants in the Lifesaving Education Program will cover:

• Supervision: ‘Never swim alone’ and ‘Always swim with a friend’
• Swim between the red and yellow flags
• Identify people who can help you (role of a lifeguard)
• Read the safety signs & check the conditions
• Lifejacket safety
• How to identify and avoid dangers
• Know what to do in an emergency situation
• SunSmart
• Know your limits ‘Don’t drink and drown (senior programs only)

How many students per program?

The suggested number of students for this program is 20-60 (1 or 2 class groups). Delivery to smaller groups is possible, however a minimum participant fee may be necessary for programs outside of metropolitan Melbourne.

Who is this program for?

While this type of program is most commonly delivered to students in a school and classroom setting, the program can also be delivered to children in kindergarten as well as scouts or community groups.

How much does this program cost

The program costs $15 per student, however extra fees may apply for extended travel times from metropolitan Melbourne, special requests and modifications to the program.

2024 Regional Programs

*All pending permit approval and required participant numbers

Lifesaving Education at The Beach, River or Lake

LSV’s Lifesaving Education Program is an open water program that is an engaging, practical opportunity for students to learn about water safety. Conducted in an open water environment similar to those they might visit with family and friends, students learn about the ever changing environment, the risks that are posed and how they respond in an emergency situation. Students will enjoy the opportunity to transfer the swimming skills they’ve learned in the pool and the water safety knowledge they’ve learned in the classroom to the natural open water environments of rivers, lakes and beaches.

How long are our programs

Our outdoor programs run for two hours with options to:

• Book multiple days
• Add a water safety in the classroom session
• Add a second two hour beach carnival session

Note: Sporting Schools funding can be used for 2x two hour programs

What’s covered in this program?

Participants in the Life Saving Education Program at the beach, river or lake will learn:

• Everyday Lifesavers (CPR and basic emergency response)
• Be Aware and Be Prepared (water safety knowledge and understanding safety signs)
• Survival Strategies (life jackets)
• Rescue Strategies
• Safe Bodyboarding

How much does this program cost

The program costs $50 per student but additional fees may apply for special requests and modifications to the program.

Term 4 2024 Regional Programs

Locations and dates below are a suggestion only and are flexible upon booking requests. Please include any relevant comments including preferred dates, times and venues via the expression of interest link.

Term 1 2025 Regional Programs

Locations and dates below are a suggestion only and are flexible upon booking requests. Please include any relevant comments including preferred dates, times and venues via the expression of interest link.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get government funding for these programs?

Yes! There are several government funding options that have been implemented to support the delivery of swimming and water safety education.

Swimming in Schools

The Swimming in Schools initiative provides funding to Victorian government primary, Specialist and English language schools as well as Catholic primary schools to meet the requirements of the swimming and water safety education component of the Victorian Curriculum F – 10 Health and Physical Education learning area.

Funding is provided directly to Victorian government schools through the Student Resource Package (SRP) as a Targeted Initiative and to Catholic primary schools via the Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA). There is no requirement to apply for Swimming in Schools funding as it is automatically provided to eligible schools.

Sporting Schools Funding

In addition, schools can apply for Sporting Schools Funding. Sporting Schools is an initiative developed by the Australian Government.

This initiative is designed to support primary and secondary schools to increase student participation in sport and community sporting activities.

This funding is available for all primary schools, as well as secondary schools to support their Year 7 and 8 students. It can be used to purchase equipment, fund coaching and lesson delivery, book transport, hire facilities and other similar costs.

Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund

Schools can also use the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF). This fund was developed by the Victorian Government for expenses relating to camps, sport and/or excursions for the benefit of eligible students.

Payments are made directly to the school and are tied to individual students.

How many programs can I book per year?

Schools have full autonomy over the design and implementation of their swimming and water safety programs with school schedules and budgets being key considerations.

Program design should be suited to the needs of the students based on their water safety knowledge, swimming skills and open-water experience.

LSV recommends that schools keep in mind the following factors:

• the three-pronged approach will provide students with vital lifesaving knowledge, skills and experience
• there is no set number of lessons that students should participate in
• regular participation is crucial to maintaining and progressively developing competencies

When do the programs run?

Lifesaving Education Programs are delivered by LSV during the warmer months of the year in Term 1 and Term 4. The limited timeframe results in programs booking out fast so planning can be crucial to the delivery of your program.

Who delivers the programs?

The LSV staff that deliver Lifesaving Education Programs for schools are appropriately qualified for all different types of open waterways, and many are active patrolling members of a Life Saving Club, bringing a wealth of knowledge to their local beach.

We have also been expanding our program delivery through partnerships. To date, LSV has trained and qualified staff at nine aquatic and community organisations enabling them to deliver Lifesaving Education Programs to schools and the community.

In addition to the students who have participated in LSV-delivered programs, over two thousand more have participated through our partner organisations.

Do you service regional Victoria?

Yes we do! Visit our regional page for more information on course times and availability.