Deep dive shows increased student belonging

Learning to swim is more than just a life skill; it is a key to connection and inclusion, new research has found.

The Qualitative Insights Into International Students’ Experiences With The Learn To Swim And Beach Ocean Safe Programs At UNSW Sydney report took a deep dive into the experiences of international students who enrolled in the water safety programs.

The report by the UNSW Beach Safety Research Group was based on one-on-one interviews conducted with students who had participated in the programs in 2023 or 2024. Both the Learn to Swim and Beach Ocean Safe Programs are offered at a subsidised rate by the UNSW Sydney Health Promotion Unit with sponsorship from Medibank.

The Learn to Swim Program is an eight-week program designed to teach students with little or no swimming experience. Beach Ocean Safe is a three full-day program, run over a four-week period with students engaged in both theory and practical sessions at Coogee Beach with trained surf life savers.

Many of the students had no swimming or water safety experience prior to coming to Australia and were frightened about entering the water both at a pool and at the beach. Students shared stories from their home countries of drowning incidents involving people they or their families knew personally.

For many of the students, enrolling in the Learn to Swim or Beach Ocean Safe program was an opportunity to move from being an observer of the Australian swimming culture to being a participant. Prior to doing either one or both of the programs, students described watching other people enjoying the water and feeling isolated from their peers.

Beyond the physical and mental health benefits, students reported an enhanced sense of belonging both to the university and to the broader community, and saying the experience was a highlight of their time in Australia. As one interviewee said:

“(It has) a lot of social importance, just like being able go to the beach with a few of my friends and swim a little bit, like that is something very precious. Like these are very precious memories to be made. I guess with like how prominent beach culture is especially in Sydney like not being able to swim would make me miss out on a lot of that stuff.”

To read the full report visit our recent reports.