The Allan Labor Government is making sure Victorian kids have the swimming skills they need to stay safe with affordable swimming lessons this summer.

Applications open next Wednesday for the popular VICSWIM Summer Kidz Program, which teaches kids basic swimming skills as well as crucial water safety education at a subsidised cost of $35 for a week of lessons. 

Families with kids aged four to 12 can choose to enrol in five 30-minute lessons, which run over the course of a week, or four 35-minute lessons, including at Rosedale, Maffra, Yarram, and Stratford. 

VICSWIM’s learn-to-swim program has helped generations of kids learn the skills and water safety knowledge they need to stay safe in and around water – so they can enjoy their summers by the pool and near the ocean. 

An extra $117,000 has been invested into the program to provide tailored lessons for kids with disability and from multicultural backgrounds. The additional funding will create 400 extra spots for kids across the state.
 
The boost takes the Victorian Government’s investment in the program to $917,000. It’s part of wide-ranging efforts to promote swimming safety and ensure even more kids get their chance to learn water-safety basics. 

Last summer, more than 16,000 Victorian children took part at 169 swimming centres across the state – with 120 of these located in regional Victoria. 

For more information visit vicswim.com.au. 

Quote attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Tom McIntosh 

“Swimming is a key part of summer for Victorian kids, and the first step is ensuring that all kids are able to swim.” 

“Whether it’s families on a beach holiday, or at the pool or lake for the summer months, parents will have peace of mind knowing that their kids are swimming safely.” 

Quote attributable to Sale Swimming Club Vice President Catherine Vassiliou 

“Anything that gets kids in the pool and gets them to love swimming, and learn safety, is a good thing: swimming is a life skill." 

Quote attributable to Kate Treasure, Stratford 

“My son has done the program for the past 2 summers now and we have found it fantastic, he has progressed so far with his swimming and understanding of water safety."

“It's given us so much more water safely confidence with him especially living with dams around.”