Practical Water Safety for Young People

The Kingston-upon-Thames Unit has run six half-day water safety sessions in partnership with the Surrey Branch of the Royal Life Saving Society and the Albany Outdoors water sports centre.
The sessions were aimed at 14 to 15 year old boys who national statistics confirm are the group most likely to drown accidentally due to taking risks in water.
There was an enthusiastic response from local schools when the idea of running the sessions was put to them.

Steve Collins, Head of the Unit said: “We know from experience that it’s pointless telling teenagers not to go into the water.
Just telling them about the risks doesn’t work either – it can have the opposite effect and even encourage young boys to take even more extreme risks”.

All the students who participated have qualified for the ‘Water Smart Award’.