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.

WE SWIM is funded by the Australian Government and led by Royal Life Saving Society – Australia. Royal Life Saving Australia brings national coordination, facilitation of WE SWIM community partnerships, and monitoring, evaluation and learning into one cohesive program.

Multicultural communities face higher drowning risk from layered vulnerabilities including lower swimming and water safety skills, limited familiarity with local hazards, and financial, language, cultural and access barriers to participation. These vulnerabilities and barriers are most pronounced for refugees and recently arrived migrants during settlement and the decade after and can persist across generations if unaddressed. WE SWIM exists to close that gap.

Every funded activity activates one or more of the WE SWIM pillars. They are WE CONNECT (linking multicultural communities to local aquatic facilities, swim schools and clubs); WE WELCOME (improving cultural safety and creating welcoming aquatic environments); WE PROMOTE (delivering multilingual water safety messages through trusted voices), and WE LEARN (removing barriers to participation and building swimming and water safety skills). Each stream's funding guidelines suggests fundable activities for each pillar.

Four beneficiary groups: refugees in humanitarian and settlement support programs; recently arrived migrants (in Australia less than 10 years); broader multicultural communities facing access and equity barriers around water; and, where appropriate, international students. Emphasis falls on school-aged children and young people, with a secondary focus on adults and caregivers, whose choices shape family participation and safety.

WE SWIM aligns to the Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030 and its target to reduce drowning by 50 per cent by 2030, the Commonwealth's Multicultural Access and Equity Policy, and the Multicultural Framework Review: Towards Fairness. It also reflects Royal Life Saving's strategic framework for eliminating drowning, empowering communities, strengthening safety and succeeding together, and every funded activity is expected to embody that same approach.

There are three streams.1/ Place-Based Partnerships funds larger, multi-partner coalitions shifting systems across a multi-LGA or regional footprint. 2/ Community Programs funds targeted, single-organisation-led delivery in one local government area. 3/ Pathfinders which include WE SWIM Pathfinder: Refugee Settlement which funds a small number of pilots integrating water safety into settlement pathways, and WE SWIM Pathfinder: Multicultural Community Ambassador Program funds trusted community voices to deliver communications and advocacy activity. Contact weswim@rlssa.org.au if you're unsure which stream fits your idea.

Yes. Each stream's funding guidelines set out how many applications a lead organisation can submit within that stream. If you're considering more than one stream. For example, leading a Community Programs application while joining another organisation's Place-Based Partnership as a partner. Talk to us early to avoid overlapping or duplicate proposals.

Most streams follow a similar rhythm: documentation released from 18 August 2026, applications closing 24 September 2026, outcomes notified 16 October 2026, and agreements executed shortly after. Delivery generally runs 1 November 2026 to 31 May 2027, with final reporting due by 30 June 2027.

Most streams expect cash and/or in-kind co-investment including things like venue access, staff time, translation or transport support. Clearly describe any co-investment in your budget. Requirements vary by stream and scale, so check your stream's funding guidelines.

Through the Royal Life Saving Grant Hub. Which is an externally supported online platform, not email or paper. You'll set up an account, complete your application online, upload supporting documents, and submit directly through the platform. We'll provide the link and access instructions when each round opens.

Yes. The platform's 'collaborate' feature lets multiple people from your organisation and partnership contribute to the same application – drafting sections or reviewing the budget together. However, the lead organisation must create and submit the application; partners using collaborate cannot submit on its behalf.

Royal Life Saving's WE SWIM team at weswim@rlssa.org.au. Reach out before submitting – early conversations can confirm program fit, eligibility, partnership expectations and cultural safety considerations, and we can help with technical questions about the platform.

No. Several streams require a workplan, budget, risk assessment and letters of support, and Royal Life Saving has created templates for all of these – find them in the resources section of our website. Please complete and submit using only our templates, not your own formats, so every application can be assessed consistently.

Programs should be designed with intersectionality in mind, recognising that people often hold overlapping inclusion and access needs across factors including culture, disability, gender and neurodiversity. Programs should be genuinely strengths-based, non-tokenistic, and reflect the real, layered identities of the people they serve rather than treating each factor in isolation.

Monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) is the program's accountability framework; full participation is a funding condition, proportionate to your project's scale. Royal Life Saving provides common indicators, templates and guidance. Reporting generally covers activity delivery, participant data, access and inclusion outcomes, co-investment, risks and practical learning.

For any general question, or if you're unsure which funding stream fits, contact weswim@rlssa.org.au. More information and our resource templates are at royallifesaving.com.au.

It supports trusted community organisations and individual ambassadors to share approved WE SWIM messages through channels and languages communities already trust. It's a communications and advocacy stream aligned to WE PROMOTE. See section 1.3 of the funding guidelines.

Trusted Voice – Community Organisations, for incorporated multicultural, refugee, community or faith-based organisations, up to $10,000; and Trusted Voice – Individual Ambassadors, for trusted community leaders applying individually, up to $3,000. Contact weswim@rlssa.org.au first if unsure which fits. See section 3.2 of the funding guidelines.

One per organisation or individual. We expect to fund around 20-30 trusted voices nationally across both categories.

Yes. This opportunity builds new trusted voices as well as supporting experienced ones – prior experience isn't required. What matters most is genuine, trusted relationships with the community you propose to reach.

Communications, outreach, engagement or advocacy that share approved WE SWIM messages in culturally responsive ways. For example, multilingual messaging through events, faith settings and local networks; information sessions; social media or community radio; digital storytelling; and advocacy workshops. See section 3.3 of the funding guidelines.

Modest costs directly linked to your communications activity including, short-term staff time, venue hire, translation and printing, basic equipment for digital or radio outreach, approved training travel, and for individual ambassadors, modest stipends and low-cost content production. See section 3.4 of the funding guidelines.

Capital expenditure, ongoing overheads like core salaries or rent, political or fundraising activity, high-cost media buys, or costs that pre-date the program. Ask us if unsure. See section 3.5 of the funding guidelines.

Yes. If not incorporated, apply under Individual Ambassadors, or ask an incorporated organisation to auspice you – contact weswim@rlssa.org.au for help. See section 2.1 of the funding guidelines.

Priority communities include refugees, recently arrived migrants, broader multicultural communities and international students, who are identified groups where trusted communication can improve safety and belonging. Any life stage can be targeted, depending on where your trusted reach sits. See section 2.2 of the funding guidelines.

Some activity involves direct contact with children. For example, school talks or youth sessions. While other activity, like public social media content, does not. Where direct contact applies, everyone must hold a current Working With Children Check and follow Royal Life Saving's safeguarding standards.

Describe how you'll keep messages respectful and responsive to the community's cultural background; if successful, you may need a short briefing or message training first. See section 2.3 of the funding guidelines.

Tell us who trusts you and why, including your history with the community, and the networks or roles that mean people listen to you. Specific examples matter more than general statements; if successful, we'll follow up with a simple reference check. See section 2.3 of the funding guidelines.

All funded activity must use core WE SWIM messaging. We'll give you the message packs and the guidance you need. Your role is trusted reach through the right languages and channels, not developing safety messaging from scratch. See section 1.5 of the funding guidelines.

Networking, advocacy and ambassador development opportunities – online workshops, peer learning sessions, message training, and facilitated sessions with venues or councils to improve referral pathways. Approved travel for in-person sessions is covered; participation is encouraged but not required. See section 4 of the funding guidelines.

Current funding covers delivery within one year, completed by 31 May 2027, with continuation depending on program-wide results. Reporting is proportionate and practical – a short activity report with reach numbers and reflections, using a template we'll provide. See section 6 of the funding guidelines.

Co-investment such as volunteer time or a donated venue is welcome but not required. Tell us who's contributing and what they're providing; no dollar value needed.

All applications are assessed against a five common and weighted assessment criteria as follows 1) Community need and local fit (20%), 2) Partnership strength, delivery capability and sustainability (30%), 3) Alignment to WE SWIM pillars and outcome pathways (20%), 4) Value for money and co-investment (20%), and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) readiness (10%). See section 7 of the funding guidelines.