Swimming is woven into the Australian way of life.
For generations, learning to swim has been part of growing up in Australia – building the skills and confidence to enjoy our pools, beaches, rivers, and waterways safely, while creating a connection to swimming that can last a lifetime.
As the National Sporting Organisation for swimming, Swimming Australia believes Learn to Swim is fundamental to that connection.
But there are challenges we cannot ignore.
Children are leaving swimming lessons at younger ages. The time they spend learning to swim is declining. Too many are leaving before developing strong, confident and transferable swimming skills, at a time when water safety remains an important national concern.
At the same time, we recognise the very real pressures being experienced across the Learn to Swim industry. Swim schools and aquatic facilities are navigating workforce shortages, increasing cost pressures and operational challenges, while continuing to deliver an essential service to Australian families.
There is excellent work happening across our industry every day. Swim schools, Swimming Teachers, facilities, industry bodies and partners bring enormous expertise, commitment and passion.
But collectively, some of our most important indicators continue to move in the wrong direction.
Swimming Australia believes it is time for us to take a stronger interest in understanding why – and how we might uplift leadership into the future.
With a home Olympic and Paralympic Games approaching in Brisbane 2032, Australia has a significant opportunity to build renewed interest and connection with swimming. But our ambition reaches well beyond competitive swimming.
We want to explore how more Australians can develop the swimming capability that enables them to participate more safely and confidently across a wide range of aquatic activities – whether that is swimming at the beach, boating, water skiing, recreational swimming or progressing into club and competitive swimming.
Strong swimming skills should provide Australians with more choices about how they safely enjoy the water throughout their lives.
The question for Swimming Australia is: what role should we play in helping make that possible?
Over the next three to six months, our focus will be to explore, listen and engage.
We will work with swim schools, facility operators, industry partners, Member Organisations, families and other stakeholders to better understand the challenges, identify what is already working well and explore where national leadership, greater connection or additional support could genuinely add value.
This work will sit alongside Swimming Australia’s continued delivery of GOSwim and our existing partnerships and initiatives across Learn to Swim. As we explore the future, we remain committed to supporting the strong programs, relationships and expertise already contributing to swimming participation across Australia.
Swimming Australia is not seeking to manage swim schools or facilities or replace existing programs. Any future direction will be designed to recognise and build upon the existing expertise across the industry.
Our ambition is to help create the conditions for more Australians, from all backgrounds, at all ages including teens and adults, to learn to swim, stay learning for longer and develop stronger swimming capability – supporting water safety, lifelong participation and greater confidence to enjoy Australia’s aquatic environment.
For now, this work starts with listening.
If you are interested in learning more, staying across the discussion or contributing to the consultation process, we encourage you to register your interest with Swimming Australia and be part of the conversation as this work develops.
