A pilot programme is to be held at a Rotorua primary school to promote water safety and swimming skills.
The programme, Wai Swim, will be held at Owhata School next year in a joint partnership with Te Arawa Lakes Trust and Swim Rotorua. It aims to provide free swimming coaching to between 60 and 100 Year 3-6 pupils at the school. The programme is supported by funding from Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust.
Te Arawa Lakes Trust chairman Toby Curtis said they were delighted to support the initiative. "Developing and improving skills in the water is a key priority for our trust as water safety is paramount for our tamariki," Dr Curtis said.
"But as importantly, it is an excellent example of Te Arawa working in partnership with the community to secure benefits for our young people across the sport, education, health and general wellbeing areas."
Owhata School principal Bob Stiles said this opportunity was more than just swimming. "It is fundamentally about making a difference for our tamariki who don't always have great opportunities, it's about hitting the adverse drowning statistics that plague our community (particularly Maori), and it's about lifting self-esteem and building some broader life skills in the process," Mr Stiles said.