About Us

Empowering children through water: VACSWIM, a flagship initiative supported by the South Australian Government and solely administered by Surf Life Saving SA, equips children aged 3 to 12 with essential skills to thrive in the water.

Through engaging lessons during the December and January school holidays, VACSWIM fosters:

  • Water safety awareness

  • Confidence in the aquatic environment

  • Competency in swimming techniques

  • Essential personal survival skills

  • Understanding of basic aquatic emergency procedures

VACSWIM empowers young learners to enjoy the water responsibly and develop the knowledge and skills to navigate aquatic environments with confidence.

As an extension of the VACSWIM program we offer programs for participants 13 to 15 years to take part in the extension programs, Water Rescues and Community Pool/Surf Rescue at select locations, meaning the participants can carry on their learning into their teenage years.

The program is conducted by qualified instructors in controlled environments located at pools, beaches, rivers and lakes throughout metro and regional South Australia.

Enjoy a lifetime of safe recreation on, in and around the water by enrolling your children in VACSWIM 2023/24 — spread the word to friends and families and fill your December and January with water safety and fun.

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Aims & Outcomes

VACSWIM aims to provide activities that develop:

  • Water safety knowledge in, on and around the water

  • Confidence and competence in aquatic environments

  • Personal survival skills

  • Emergency procedures, safe self-rescue and the rescue of others

  • Basic swimming strokes

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VACSWIM provides the following outcomes:

  • Opportunities for participants to enjoy the recreational aspect of involvement in water related activities.

  • Opportunity to experience and develop skills in a variety of water safety, swimming and aquatic based activities.

  • Instruction to develop skills in accepted swimming strokes.

  • Instruction and training to enable skills to be developed to ensure for personal safety and the safety of others in aquatic environments.

  • Encourage participants with special needs to use water as a form of recreation and therapy.

A South Australian water safety icon

Established in the 1950s, VACSWIM has become a household name in South Australia. Each year, the program engages thousands of pre and primary school aged children in locations across the state. VACSWIM's vision is a reduction in the incidences of drowning amongst the younger generations.