Watch Around Water Program

17-12-2009

In recent months Melton Waves Leisure Centre and Wyndham Leisure and Events Centre have introduced the Watch Around Water initiative.  Belgravia Leisure centre managers identified a need for parents / guardians bringing their children to Waves and Wyndham to be better educated about the importance of active supervision of their children whilst swimming.  Watch Around Water addressed these concerns so the decision to implement the program was an easy choice to make.
 
The resources and support Life Saving Victoria and Aquatics and Recreation Victoria have assisted in a smooth introduction of the program.  Although the advice from Life Saving Victoria was to phase the program in, both Melton Waves and Wyndham decided from the first day of the last school holidays to enforce all of the mandatory guidelines, including that parents / guardians coming into the centre with children under the age of six needed to be ready to swim with their child.  We expected that this may be met with some resistance as it has not been previously enforced, but so far it has been positively received by the public.
 
The lifeguard team at both centres believe this is due to the fact that over eight weeks all staff were trained and educated on what the program was all about.  This was achieved through articles in the fortnightly staff newsletter, by its inclusion as a topic on the agenda at every management meeting, a compulsory attendance full staff meeting where Life Saving Victoria presented, and follow up staff meetings with each area of the Centre to address any concerns.  The Centre's front line teams have also done an excellent job in taking the time to educate parents / guardians as they come in to the Centre making it easier for the Lifeguards to enforce the message once the children are in the swimming pools.
 
Educating the community on the Watch Around Water program is an ongoing campaign in partnership with our Council clients supported by public notices around the Centre, updating and location change for our conditions of entry and a press release.  Both centres have now fully implemented the new conditions of entry in advance of our peak Summer periods and January school holidays.

< Back to archive news