WE SWIM Details

The WE SWIM - Multicultural Community Water Safety Program​ is a national, evidence-informed initiative to reduce drowning risk, remove barriers to swimming and water safety education, and build belonging for refugees, recently arrived migrants and broader multicultural communities.

The WE SWIM Multicultural Community Water Safety Program is funded by the Australian Government and led by Royal Life Saving Society - Australia.  Royal Life Saving Australia will bring together national coordination, community partnerships, and rigorous monitoring, evaluation and learning into a single, coherent program built around a commitment to saving lives, removing barriers, and building belonging.

Royal Life Saving Australia is providing national coordination and tiered place-based partnerships, community programs and pathfinding projects that co-design culturally responsive activity across four pillars - WE CONNECT, WE WELCOME, WE PROMOTE and WE LEARN.

As a result, multicultural communities will gain safer access to aquatic environments, stronger swimming and water safety capability, more trusted information and experience more welcoming venues.

Over time, this will reduce drowning risk, remove barriers and build belonging for refugees, recently arrived migrants and broader multicultural communities.

Learn more about WE SWIM

To learn more about the WE SWIM – Multicultural Community Water Safety Program, explore the key program documents below. Together, they provide an overview of the program, how WE SWIM is designed to create impact, and the funding opportunities available to support delivery.

National Multicultural Community Advisory Group

The National Multicultural Community Advisory Group will provide independent, community-led advice to help shape the design and delivery of the program. The Group will support culturally safe, relevant and accessible swimming and water safety activities, identify barriers to participation, and recommend practical solutions. It will also strengthen connections between multicultural communities and local pools, swim schools, clubs, councils, settlement services and education providers.

Drowning Among Multicultural Communities in Australia

One in three drowning deaths is someone born overseas, and while nearly half of Australian children can't swim 50 metres by the end of primary school, this proportion is estimated to be even higher among children from multicultural backgrounds. In the 10-year period 2016/17 to 2025/26, 920 people drowned in Australia who were born overseas. The majority were residents, with international students, working holiday makers and overseas visitors making up the remainder.

920
people drowned in Australia
were born overseas between 2016/17 and 2025/26
32%
OF ALL DROWNING DEATHS
were people born overseas between 2016/17 and 2025/26
82%
OF OVERSEAS BORN DROWNING DEATHS
were male between 2016/17 and 2025/26
36%
OF OVERSEAS BORN DROWNING DEATHS
were swimming and recreating prior to drowning between 2016/17 and 2025/26
48%
OF AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN CAN'T SWIM 50 METRES BY THE END OF PRIMARY SCHOOL
the figures are estimated to be much higher in children from multicultural backgrounds
Grant Opportunities
WE SWIM - Place Based Partnerships
Place-Based Partnerships
This stream shift systems at scale - coordinating delivery across a diverse LGA or multi-LGA or regional corridors and hubs with concentrated overseas-born populations and elevated drowning risk.
WE SWIM - Community Programs
Community Programs
This stream delivers focused, local change - addressing a specific barrier, cohort or community, building trust, and creating pathways into sustained participation.
Pathfinder Programs
WE SWIM - Pathfinder - Refugee Settlement
Pathfinder - Refugee Settlement
This stream builds water safety into early settlement in high-need metropolitan and/or regional settlement regions. It supports 2-4 local pilots that attach subsidised, culturally safe lessons and hazard awareness to existing settlement pathways, so water safety becomes routine settlement practice.
WE SWIM - Multicultural Community Ambassador Program
Pathfinder - Ambassadors
Support trusted community voices to share approved WE SWIM messages through communications and engagement.
WE SWIM - Pathfinder - Emerging Leaders
Pathfinder - Emerging Leaders
This is a leadership-pathway and bridge-building stream that opens senior sector spaces - the events, forums, conferences and networking that shape aquatics, swimming, water safety and lifesaving - to emerging multicultural professionals aged under 30, giving them a meaningful role, a genuine voice and lasting connections into the sector’s leadership.

Key Dates

Grants Open: 18 August 2026
Grants Close: 24 September 2026
Outcomes Notified: 16 October 2026
Funding Agreements: 30 October 2026
Grant Outcomes must be delivered by: 31 May 2027
Reporting & Acquittal: 30 June 2027

Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question about the WE SWIM – Multicultural Community Water Safety Program?

Visit our Frequently Asked Questions for more information about the program, partnerships, funding, eligibility and how WE SWIM will be delivered.

WE SWIM Support and Updates

If you have any questions or require any further information please get in touch with our support team at:  Email:  weswim@rlssa.org.au

Contact Us

Apply Now or Access the Grants Portal

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PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

The WE SWIM Multicultural Community Water Safety Program is funded by the Australian Government and led by Royal Life Saving Society - Australia.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Royal Life Saving Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; Elders past and present.