Water safety

On the Same Wave

The On the Same Wave program, a joint water safety initiative between the Queensland Government and Surf Life Saving Queensland, aims at promoting water and surf safety messages amongst culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) Queenslanders.

Since the program was launched in January 2010, the Queensland Government has provided $320,000 to Surf Life Saving Queensland to deliver the On the Same Wave campaign targeting Queenslanders from CALD background across the state. The components of the program includes:

• distribution of translated information on water safety in 23 languages and other merchandise items (including shirts, magnets and caps) promoting water safety messages
• water safety education workshops for students from CALD background at schools and other educational institutions
• promotion of surf safety messages at community events and festivals; and
• information sessions to migrants and refugees.

The campaign provides access to beach education classes from trained surf lifesavers, and ensures that people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds receive important water safety information in their first language.

Surf Life Saving Queensland have also been distributing translated material and engaging with refugee and migrant communities at key events across the state including the Zillmere Multicultural Festival, the World Refugee Day Festival, the Queensland Multicultural Festival and a range of festivals and events in north Queensland.

Multilingual surf safety fact sheets

Multilingual Beach Safety fact sheets in 23 different languages have been developed and can be downloaded from the Surf Life Saving Queensland website.

How do I get involved?

If you would like Surf Life Saving Queensland to deliver a workshop for your organisation, please contact Mr Scott Harrison at beachsafe@lifesaving.com.au or on 5526 5179 or 0401 997 391.

Multicultural Water Safety Forums

Southport, December 2010

In December 2010, the department, together with Surf Life Saving Queensland, hosted a Multicultural Water Safety Forum at Southport Surf Life Saving Club, Gold Coast.

The forum provided an opportunity for community leaders and representatives to be presented with an overview of the On the Same Wave program, its progress and achievements and discuss key issues relating to water and surf safety.

More than 50 representatives from Queensland's African, Pacific Islander, Maori, Chinese, Japanese, Karen, Afghan, Korean, Turkish and Egyptian communities attended, as well as representatives from local community organisations, the tourism industry, Queensland Government and program partners such as Surf Life Saving Queensland and Milpera State High School. Mr Parham Sharifi, a volunteer lifesaver from an Iranian background, spoke on his valuable experiences as a lifesaver and the benefits volunteering brings to his life.

Townsville, September 2011

Following on from the success of the Southport forum, the department hosted a Multicultural Water Safety Forum in Townsville on Thursday 1 September 2011 at the Townsville Yacht Club.

Around 30 representatives from local community organisations, ethnic and cultural organisations, tourism operators and program partners including Surf Life Saving Queensland attended the forum.  

Presentations were made by the department, Surf Life Saving Queensland, Townsville Multicultural Support Group and the Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE.

Part of the forum focused on facilitated discussions around three key themes to inform the future planning and delivery of the program.