The Aqua English Project

Big shout out for The Aqua English Project Ltd from Share the Dignity and Rochelle Courtenay! We are immensely proud to have collaborated on this video. The impact it is having with us on the ground as we continue our socially inclusive swimming and water safety programs is huge! We are also big fans of the translated scripts in languages that are often overlooked in bigger campaigns - Hazaragi and Kurdish in particular!



Welcoming Australia Welcoming Clubs, SSI - Settlement Services International, One Culture Support Services, IWA Australia Ltd, ECCQ - Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland, Woodridge State High School Queensland Program of Assistance to Survivors of Torture and Trauma, Metro South Health TAFE Queensland

When Sarah from Aqua English Foundation told us that many people in CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) communities who have recently arrived in Australia didn’t know which period products could be worn while swimming, we knew we had to do something.

Because education should be accessible, digestible, and inclusive for everyone.

That’s why we’ve now translated our Menstruation Animation into 10 additional languages!

We want everyone, no matter where they’ve come from or what language they speak, to feel confident managing their period - whether they’re at school, at sport, or at the pool.

When we work together, we can make sure no one is left behind.

Check out our translated animations in our education hub! https://www.sharethedignity.org.au/end-period-poverty/education-hub

A great photo of The Aqua English Project Ltd team with Rowan Crothers at the Qsport Leading for Legacy Conference yesterday!

Sarah Scarce on behalf of Aqua English, was given a wonderful opportunity to speak on 'unlocking local impact', We covered diversity, skateboarding, swimming and planning for inclusion and legacy.

This is our year of bringing our wonderful team of Bicultural Aquatic Assistants and aspiring Water Safety Officers into the light and onto a platform where they will be heard. Yesterday we had Saiying Li from China, alongside Hamida Sedaqat and Zahra Rahimi from Afghanistan advocating for Aqua English, their communities and social inclusion in swimming.

Each conference, speaker, or presenter opportunity that we participate in, as well as committee appointments will be attended by members of our team who are learning to navigate policy, politics, corporate Australia (and its jargon) and what it means to be heard outside the pool and local community. This is an enormous undertaking, as 80% of our team have come from a non-English speaking, non-swimming background and are creating the roles of Bicultural Aquatic Assistant and Water Safety Officers for future generations.

We loved hearing Maia from Welcoming Australia really advocate for valuing the voices of our refugee and migrant communities, and that the value should be reflected in reimbursement for their time, translation, input, cultural awareness and interpretation of the Australian sporting landscape.

The photo with Rowan Crothers is special as he hails from Yeronga Park Swim Club, and Yeronga Park Swimming Complex was the very first Brisbane pool to welcome Aqua English way back in 2007. All of Aqua English will be cheering when Paris 2024 gets underway!

Immensely proud of these guidelines, and stronly encourage anyone and everyone involved in aquatics to click the link and download a copy.

Thank you Welcoming Clubs and Welcoming Australia Welcoming Australia and Welcoming Clubs, this couldn't have happened without you.

It’s launched, out in the world and now in your hands!

Today, together with The Aqua English Project Ltd , we hosted the online launch of the Inclusion Guidelines for Public Aquatic Facilities.

While developed for aquatic facilities, it’s also a blueprint for broader inclusion in our communities - we encourage you to download the guide, share it, examine how you can implement the ideas, strategies and examples shared within.

Thank you to our presenters Sarah Scarce, Zahra Rahimi, Nikki Dryden and Maia Tua- Davidson for sharing their insights, experience and stories today. Our experiences and expectations of safety and inclusion is different for everyone - a commitment to advancing a welcoming future is for all of us!

Genuine change requires work, investment and the right intent. Facilities won’t become more inclusive and welcoming overnight, but it will happen through small increments and culture shifts.

These guidelines were developed by Welcoming Australia and The Aqua English Project, with input from local governments, contractors, aquatic participants and those yet to access a swimming program.

Link in bio to download the resource and discover more ways that Welcoming Cities, Welcoming Universities, Welcoming Workplaces and can help you to help your communities and organisations advance inclusion and belonging!

has said it best:

"It's launched, out in the world and now in your hands!". If you haven't received a copy yet, please click the link below.

https://welcomingcities.org.au/inclusion-guidelines-for-public-aquatic-facilities/

These guidelines are incredibly important to us, and we hope that all aquatic facilities across Australia take the time to read them. We are always here to assist with implementation, even via phone call to another state or territory.

Still celebrating the support from the Queensland Government for our youth swimming program commencing in July. Organisations, pools and individuals please reach out.

With a significant boost from the Celebrating Multicultural Queensland program, another 3900 young people from diverse cultural backgrounds in Logan are set to learn vital swimming skills! 🏊‍♂️

The Aqua English Project initiative offers free swimming lessons to diverse youth aged 16-24. Plus, 25 participants will become bicultural aquatic assistants, spreading water safety knowledge far and wide!

For more information about the program, go to http://www.des.qld.gov.au/cmq-program

Image credit: The Aqua English Project

Lovely words from Multicultural Affairs, Queensland Government, and we cannot wait to get our youth program started in Logan!

Logan City Council City Venue Management Gould Adams Park Aquatic Centre Logan West Aquatic and Fitness Centre Fish N Flips Swim School Queensland Program of Assistance to Survivors of Torture and Trauma ECCQ - Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland Charis Mullen MP Woodridge State High School IWAA Australia Welcoming Clubs Swimming Australia SWIM Coaches & Teachers Australia AUSTSWIM Loganlea State High School

The Aqua English Project is making a real splash when it comes to swim safety!💦

This Logan-based initiative has been providing free swimming classes for culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Queensland for over 23 years!

They've delivered swimming and water safety programs to more than 34,000 people since they launched—and thanks to the Celebrating Multicultural Queensland grants program, another 3900 young people will be taught to swim this year.

The Aqua English Project Ltd enjoyed hosting Charis Mullen MP on deck in Logan yesterday. We celebrated a funding boost to our Empowered to Swm program that ensures a continued outreach to over 3900 members of Logan's culturally and linguistically diverse community. It also ensures we train 25 Bicultural Aquatic Assistants for work in the aquatic industry. We are very excited to get this program into action from 1st July. Thank you again.

So excited to join a Saturday morning swimming lesson…making a real difference! 🏊🏽‍♀️🏊🏿‍♂️🏊

The Aqua English Project has been providing free swimming classes for culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Queensland for over 23 years.

We’re supporting the organisation’s ’Empowered to Swim Program’ with $120,000 in funding to focus on 16-24 year olds teaching them swimming and vital water safety skills.

25 of these young people will also gain qualifications that allow them to become bilingual aquatic assistants, leading to employment pathways as swim instructors or lifeguards into the future.

Women's Swimming Space @ Acacia Ridge Pool

Every Saturday until June 30 2024.

Lesson 1: 12.30pm to 1.30pm
Lesson 2: 2.00pm to 3.00pm

Swimming Practice Time: 1.30pm to 2.00pm

Cost: Pool entry per person (currently $2 for summer)

Book via SMS 0406 063 737

16+ years.

Come and join us today!

Our Women's Only Swimming Space has re-started at Acacia Ridge Leisure Centre.

Today, and every Saturday until June 30, 2024, 2.00pm - 3.00pm.

The cost is concession pool entry per lady ($5.20).

It is held in the indoor, heated learn to swim pool. Our instructors are English, Dari, Farsi and Somali speaking.

Please book via SMS - 0406 063 737 as space in this pool is limited.

Welcoming Clubs Community Hubs Logan ECCQ - Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland Queensland Program of Assistance to Survivors of Torture and TraumaMetro South Health Leanne Linard MP Loganlea State High School Woodridge State High School Inala Community House IWAA Australia