The iconic surf life saving nippers program is now available in Canberra, with Under 7 to Under 13 registrations now open (until the end of August 2017). The program will run from late October 2017 to late March 2018 with a break over the December/January school holidays. It is run by volunteers from the Broulee Surfers Surf Life Saving Club, and is not-for-profit.
The objectives of the Canberra/Broulee Nippers are to give Canberra kids the opportunity to learn vital ocean safety, swimming and board paddling skills, so that we can actively contribute to reducing the number of drowning deaths, and drowning accidents causing permanent injury.
In an article in the Canberra Times on March 13 of this year, it was reported that 84% of people rescued by lifeguards at South Coast beaches last summer were from the ACT. Lifeguarding Services Australia was quoted as saying that only one in seven ACT children can swim 50 metres by the time they leave primary school. Figures from Royal Lifesaving ACT revealed that only 15% of ACT students are meeting the national benchmark set by the Australia Water Safety Council.
These figures provide a strong impetus to introduce surf lifesaving and pool rescue training to kids in the ACT, and will also contribute to the Australian Government’s aim to reduce drowning deaths nationally by 50 per cent by 2020.
The Canberra/Broulee Nippers train at the Canberra Olympic Pool (Sundays 10 am – 12 pm) and approximately every fourth week is at Broulee or carnivals on the south coast.
For more information and registration forms please contact canberranippers@gmail.com.
Registrations close at the end of August 2017.
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