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By Charmaine Ndlela
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) and SCOUTS South Africa Western Cape Region have launched a youth development programme that tackles high drowning rates in vulnerable communities, while opening doors to volunteering and lifeguarding roles for youth.
“The partnership addresses two linked challenges — high drowning rates in vulnerable communities and limited access to opportunities for young people who are not in employment, education or training,” NSRI Communications Manager Andrew Ingram told Inside Education.
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“Many of these communities lack basic water safety knowledge and swimming skills, while young people also lack clear pathways into meaningful work or volunteering. This programme tackles both by combining drowning prevention with skills development and career pathways.”
The initiative, which started in February and will run until December, focuses on water safety, survival swimming and long-term skills development.
It was introduced during the Western Cape Scouting-in-Schools leadership training camp at the Hawequas Scout Adventure Centre in Wellington, where about 335 volunteer Scout leaders took part in water safety education and survival swimming exercises.
The programme is being delivered in partnership with the Scouting-in-Schools initiative, which focuses on young people not in employment, education or training.
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NSRI Honorary Life Governor Keith Burchell said the initiative was designed to create a route for young people into the organisation.
“We wanted to create a pathway for young people to come into the NSRI whether as volunteers, lifeguards or even future crew. What we are seeing now is that pathway coming to life,” he said.
Project Manager Tasmin Kriel said the programme was about opening doors for young people while also benefiting communities.
“This is about exposing young people to opportunities they’ve never had before. It creates a journey from learning to swim, to volunteering, and potentially to a career in lifeguarding,” she said.
The programme also aims to build community capacity by equipping participants with skills they can pass on to others.
“Young people are trained in water safety and survival swimming, and then equipped to take that knowledge back into their own communities,” Ingram said.
“This means more people learning how to float, stay calm, and avoid dangerous situations in the water, all of which are proven to reduce drowning risk.”
Ingram said the initiative was designed as a long-term intervention rather than a once-off project, with participants moving through successive stages of training.
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“Participants move from basic exposure to water safety, to survival swimming, to instructing, and potentially into lifeguarding and NSRI volunteer roles,” he said.
He said the programme starts with an introduction to water safety and survival swimming, followed by efforts to build basic swimming ability and work towards required distances.
“From there, participants can progress into training as survival swimming or water safety instructors, gain practical experience in their communities, and ultimately move into formal lifeguard training,” he said.
“This creates a clear, step-by-step journey from beginner to professional capability.”
More than half of participants who initially identified as non-swimmers reported gaining confidence in the water after just one session.
Participants were not externally selected. After the initial training, they chose voluntarily to continue.
The next phase will see 192 volunteers continue their development, including delivering water safety presentations in schools and working towards instructor and lifeguard qualifications.
