Navitas Skilled Futures (NSF) supports safety for students with Tamarama Surf Life Saving Club

NSF Bankstown and Cabramatta students were treated to sun, safety and a TV appearance when they attended the Migrant Beach Safety Day at Tamarama Beach in Sydney over the summer.

Students from Navitas Skilled Futures Bankstown and Cabramatta Colleges were thrilled to take part in a beach safety day hosted by the Tamarama Beach Surf Life Saving Club over summer. 

The Migrant Beach Safety Day is targeted to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities with the aim of boosting knowledge around beach safety. Students were taken to the beach by Navitas Skilled Futures trainers, where they enjoyed a fun beach safety presentation and did activities including a demonstration rescue. 

Surf Life Savers also release dye into the water to show how a rip travels and moves, giving students critical safety knowledge to be able to enjoy Australia’s beautiful coastline. And of course, a day at an Aussie beach wouldn’t be complete without a BBQ to top it off. 

The program’s main aim is to raise awareness and educate students, as well as to eradicate drownings from our coastlines and boost community engagement. 

The Royal Life Saving Society estimates one in three people who drown in Australia are born overseas and the number of drowning deaths increased between 2023 and 2024, highlighting the importance of water safety programs. 

NSF Academic Team Leader Maya Kaszynski went to the beach day with students, and said it provided a perfect environment for our students to learn. 

“It was an opportunity for the students to leave Bankstown with people that they trust and know to discover Sydney and see the beautiful yet dangerous beaches that we have here,” she said. 

“The beach is a fun place to visit during summer to relax and spend quality time with family and friends, however, many of our students have never swum in an ocean and have no awareness of the hazards posed by currents or rips. By providing beach safety awareness, everyone can safely enjoy a day out at the beach.” 

– Maya Kaszynski, NSF Cabramatta

English for … TV!

Adding to the excitement was a news crew from ABC Sydney who attended the day and interviewed several clients from NSF Cabramatta, who were able to draw upon their improving English skills to give a television interview. 

Client Hong Ngoc Pham told the news crew the day was “wonderful” and that it was her first time visiting the beach at Tamarama, while Yara Hammoud said it was “lots of fun and very exciting”.

“I get to know a different culture, in my country we have sea not ocean so it’s so different, it’s different information for me,” Yara said. 

Maya said it was a great opportunity for the students. 

“They were really happy to share their feedback and experience of the training [with the ABC] and how this will help them with future beach trips,” she said. 

Navitas Skilled Futures is proud to give our students opportunities like the Migrant Beach Safety Day which allow them to develop new and critical skills in their new home. 

“At Navitas Skilled Futures, we take a holistic approach to our delivery of the settlement program and focus on all aspects of living in Australia,” Maya said.  

“We like for our students to enjoy their new life here but also to be safe and pass on this information to their family and friends.”