By Victoria Stone-Meadows
YMCA Casey ARC and RACE have recently hosted a group of Taiwanese swimming instructors for swimming workshops to reduce drowning deaths in Asia.
According to a Taiwanese study, Taiwan has the third highest drowning rate in the world, with Taiwanese children being three times more likely to drown than Australian children.
The results of this study were the trigger for a re-assessment of how Taiwanese children are taught to swim.
The workshops at ARC and RACE were specifically designed to teach the Taiwanese instructors the methods Australian swim instructors use to teach children, toddlers and infants how to swim.
Australia has one of the lowest drowning rates in the world and the nationwide ‘learn to swim’ mentality means most children undergo swimming lessons as part of their schooling.
“We needed to learn other ways of teaching and to research whether there was a more effective way to conduct lessons,” Gilbert Chin, a participant on the trip said.
YMCA Area Manager, Matt Spencer outlined why these two Casey facilities were chosen as locations for hosting the workshops.
“Due to their renowned large learn to swim program and excellent water safety practices, the Taiwanese group were eager to see what methods and equipment a large centre used to teach swimming,” he said.
Mr Chin said there were many differences in the way Australian and Taiwanese swim teachers work and the group were impressed with the Australian instructors.
“Their swim teachers are highly knowledgeable and have an effective way of communicating to students,” he said.
“One of the main differences between Taiwan and what we have seen here is the emphasis on water safety.
“In Taiwan, we do not teach water safety and purely focus on the strokes of swimming. Classes also go for 80 minutes, instead of 30 minutes. The shorter classes enable participants to always be actively engaged.”
The Taiwanese group of swimming teachers returned home on Saturday 25 March.
