SLSNZ Beach Education programme teaches water safety skills to over 25,000 young people this season

A total of 25,500 school aged students from Ahipara in the far north to Oreti in Southland have learned valuable water safety skills during the 2024-25 season thanks to the SLSNZ Beach Education programme. Designed for primary school-aged children, Beach Education has been delivered by SLSNZ clubs and members for over 30 years and has brought water safety skills and knowledge to over 250,000 Kiwi students.

The one-day course is a valuable water safety initiative helping New Zealanders to make safer decisions at the beach by developing participants’ thinking about the way they engage with the surf environment. The day not only gives students the vital tools to make good decisions around our moana but showcases the world of surf lifesaving for many that may not previously have set foot inside a surf lifesaving club. The learning experience is deeply enriched by the unique spaces and equipment found in clubs.

It also generates an opportunity for volunteer lifeguards to share what they love and get paid for it. This season 170 SLSNZ club members employed as part of the Beach Ed Instruction team invested approximately 7,700 hours across the country.

SLSNZ Youth Education Manager, Dani Shepherd said the combination of place-based experience through the specialised environment of surf lifesaving clubs and highly knowledgeable instructors delivers a high impact and valuable learning opportunity not only for students, but for their teachers and whanau as well.

“The reach of the safety messages extends beyond the students who come along. Each Beach Ed Day requires parents, grandparents or caregivers to attend as part of our supervision model. A total of 527 unique days of education have taken place with at least 5,100 teachers and whānau helpers attending and participating in the learning,” said Dani.

“It’s promising that the students, teachers and whanau, who have come through the doors of surf lifesaving clubs this season now have the skills to choose the best place to swim, know how to survive if they do get in trouble, and know how to keep others safe when they spend time at the beaches of Aotearoa.”

This season a collaboration between the SLSNZ sport and education teams saw a new pilot initiative trialled. The first Beach Ambassador Day, held at Midway SLSC as part of the 2025 Aon Surf Life Saving National Championships hosted six schools from across Tairāwhiti who selected students to represent their school as beach ambassadors. The pilot was a great success with students sampling Beach Education, participating in a beach clean-up led by Sustainable Coastlines and enjoying water skills training. In the midst of a jam packed day the students were treated to sausages and ice cream by Aon’s Gisborne team.

Dani said the success of the day was down to a unique collaboration between a number of organisations.

“Thanks to Midway SLSC, Tairāwhiti Beach Education Instructors (with ukelele in hand), Sustainable Coastlines, Aon and Trust Tairāwhiti we were able to deliver diverse and unique practical experiences that the participants can bring back to school to share with their peers and teachers.”

Any SLSNZ member interested in taking part in next year’s Beach Education programme can reach out to the Community Education Coordinator in their region for more details. You’ll find contact details on our website (underEducation Team) or keep your eyes on our Vacancies page for when Beach Ed Instructor applications open over winter.