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At the beginning of 2020, the NSRI launched its Survival Swimming Programme, which teaches children the basic skills to stay afloat should they find themselves in difficulty in the water.

The initiative came about after several stories emerged involving children drowning a metre or two from safety. They would not have needed to swim 50 metres to survive; they would only have needed to know how to move as little as five metres through the water to get to safety.

Our squads, made up of full time professional instructors and volunteers who want to share their joy of swimming with children, visit public swimming pools to teach the basics of survival swimming:

During one of our pilot programme sessions, it took just one two-hour lesson, for four instructors to assess and upskill 55 children.

These lessons are offered free of charge and are organised with the kind permission of facilities’ officers and by appointment.

In this section

The NSRI has three core Drowning Prevention programmes – Water Safety Education, Pink Rescue Buoys and Survival Swimming – and offers a range of free resources and educational materials.

Caville Abrahams  DROWNING PREVENTION: REGIONAL TEAMLEADER (WESTERN CAPE)

“What drives me is knowing the Survival Swimming skills we teach, not only can save a life one day but will also change the lives of generations to come.’’

Caville Abrahams, Drowning Prevention Regional Team Leader

READ MORE ABOUT SURVIVAL SWIMMING

Survival swimmig dam banner
SURVIVAL SWIMMING  | Published: 13 December 2024

From pool to dam: A Survival Swimming milestone for young swimmers

Eight children recently put their Survival Swimming lessons to the test in an open-water environment after mastering essential skills in Survival Swimming Centre 1's swimming pool container.

St Andrews 1
SURVIVAL SWIMMING  | Published: 20 November 2024

Life saving lessons: NSRI's Survival Swimming Programme empowers Makhanda learners

On Saturday, 19th October, St Andrew's College, in collaboration with the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) and Station 11 Port Alfred, launched an impactful series of Survival Swimming lessons at the DT Hudson Pool complex.

Fluidra SSC 1
SURVIVAL SWIMMING  | Published: 20 November 2024

Festive gift packs: A heartfelt thank you to Survival Swimming Centre instructors

In a heartwarming gesture of appreciation, Fluidra recently donated Christmas gift packs to instructors at NSRI Survival Swimming Centres (SSCs) across the country.

Survival swimming tlc 1440x500
SURVIVAL SWIMMING  | Published: 18 October 2024

Teamwork in action

In a world where drowning remains a serious threat, the efforts of the NSRI and its dedicated volunteers stand as a beacon of hope.

Sunshine coast swimming 1440x500
SURVIVAL SWIMMING  | Published: 23 July 2024

Sunshine Coast swimming programme empowers communities with lifesaving skills

The Sunshine Coast Survival Swimming Programme was established in response to a devastating incident that shook the Kenton on Sea community.

Survival swimming 1440x500
SURVIVAL SWIMMING  | Published: 26 April 2024

The privilege of saving lives

As the ‘23/’24 Survival Swimming season draws to a close, we take a look at the very first volunteer Survival Swimming venue, the Sea Point Pavilion in Cape Town, which is still going strong.