17 – 19 October saw RLSS UK representatives attend the World Conference on Drowning Prevention in Vancouver.

The conference is held every two years and sees drowning prevention organisations from around the world, meet to share best practice, ideas and the latest research.

As our RLSS UK colleagues make a welcome return, Head of Volunteering Lee Heard, tells us the value the trip has had:

“It’s always positive to be able to share the great drowning prevention work from the UK with our global drowning prevention colleagues and to learn from what they are doing in their own communities. It is through sharing best practice, research, and ideas that we learn how we can improve” said Lee.

“The approaches to teaching activities through a water competency framework that are going on elsewhere in the world, have inspired a fresh approach in devising our own lifesaving pathways.”

In partnership with the conference, the RLSS Commonwealth Emerging Leaders training programme also took place.

The programme supports low and middle-income countries (LMICs) and young leaders in high-income countries (HMICs), to deliver drowning prevention activity in their own countries. It has a particular focus on engaging and empowering young people to take their learnings back to their home countries.

With representation from Singapore, Lesotho and Jamaica amongst others, swelling the ranks, RLSS UK Deputy Director of Education and Research Mike Dunn was delighted we were involved:

“Over 90% of global drowning deaths occur in LMICs and this training programme plays a vital role in reducing that statistic. We’re delighted to play our part in supporting the programme delivery” said Mike.

You can visit the World Conference on Drowning Prevention Website to see the agenda for the conference or contact [email protected] for more details on any of the presentations.