Swim and Survive Facilitator

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Swim and Survive Facilitator

What programs am I able to conduct?

An Approved Royal Life Saving NSW ‘Swim and Survive Facilitator’ is able to instruct and assess the components of the Swim and Survive Program. Swim and Survive is a comprehensive program of swimming, water safety and survival skills for children aged from 6 months to 14 years of age. A range of progressive skills are taught to encourage safe participation in activities in, on and around water.

The program is broken down into the Wonder, Courage and Active levels; Each program is structured into skill strands that ensure a balanced, comprehensive instructional approach to aquatic education.

Swim and Survive Wonder

Wonder is a water familiarisation program for parents and their children aged 6 to 36 months. It has three awards that are arranged by age groups. Within each age group, there are two stages which allow for a stepping stone of progression, keeping the program challenging and rewarding.

Swim and Survive Courage

Courage is a program designed to build water confidence for pre-school aged children, aged 3 to 5 years. Courage has five awards for children to progress through as they build confidence and develop new skills.

Swim and Survive Active

Active is a swimming and water safety program for school aged children aged 5 to 14. Active has three developing awards and seven core awards. The initial award focuses on the development of foundation skills, while the higher awards build on increasing levels of water safety, survival techniques and swimming endurance.

Who can become a Swim and Survive facilitator?

An approved Royal Life Saving NSW Swim and Survive Facilitator may be a School Teacher, Swim Coach, Swimming Instructor or alternatively, possess one of the following qualifications:

Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
AUSTSWIM Certificate

In addition, a Royal Life Saving NSW Swim and Survive Facilitator must:

Hold a current Resuscitation Award or Higher (e.g. HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)
- Please note that even with a current First Aid qualification, RLSNSW will still require a current Resuscitation Award, or CPR unit of competency
Hold a current Working with Children Check

How do I become a Swim and Survive facilitator?

As well as meeting the criteria above, a Swim and Survive Facilitator must be familiar with all program elements, as well as the guidelines to deliver quality sessions in a safe environment.

To ensure that a potential facilitator has the required knowledge to deliver and assess the program, they must complete one of the following three pathways:

Pathway A – Workbook
- In order to complete the workbook, access to the Royal Life Saving Swimming and Lifesaving Manual is essential. If you do not have access to a Swimming and Lifesaving Manual, they can be selected as an additional item at the time of registration payment. Alternatively, they are available for purchase at the Royal Life Saving Shop.
Pathway B – Practical Examination
- The examination should include practical instructions and assessment for all criteria under one of the Swim and Survive Awards. The examination must be supervised by a current RLSNSW Bronze Facilitator or higher. As part of the examination, report forms must be correctly filled out and submitted, to demonstrate knowledge of the process when registering awards with Royal Life Saving NSW.
Pathway C – Complete an Interview
- The interview is to be conducted by a Bronze Facilitator; it should address the role of Royal Life Saving and the content, structure and progression of the Swim and Survive strands. During the interview, the administrative process of registering awards with Royal Life Saving NSW should be discussed.

Evidence of completion of one of the above pathways is to be provided, and appropriate payment is to be made in order to complete the application process.

How do I maintain my currency ?

Approved Facilitator status is to be renewed annually by paying an annual fee. A Resuscitation Award, or higher must be maintained in order for a Facilitator’s status to remain as valid. A Working with Children Check must also remain valid.

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Swim and Survive Facilitator