$1.6mil will be invested by Water Safety New Zealand to help tackle the nation's drowning problem. New Zealand is towards the upper end of drowning death rates in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) is tasked with delivering funding strategies to tackle our nations drowning problem. In 2016 there were 78 preventable fatalities and numbers also increased for drowning hospitalisations.
The 2017-18 Drowning Prevention Investment Round WSNZ is funding organisations working with the vulnerable and at risk to deliver much-needed water safety education and support.
WSNZ CEO Jonty Mills says, “The water safety sector is predominantly non-Government funded and supported by volunteers. Any additional funding is a lifeline providing vital education to the most vulnerable."
Funding is distributed to the professional and national sport and recreation organisations, swim schools, local authorities, regional sports trusts, Plunket and Trusts which administer water safety education initiatives.
Specifically, $1.189m will be allocated to providers to deliver the national aquatic initiative Water Skills For Life (WSFL) to children aged 5 – 13 years across the country.