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SWIMMING AND LIFESAVING
Junior Lifesavers
Are you Ready to Get Wet, Have Fun and Learn Lifesaving Skills?
Junior Lifesavers
Program Background
Junior Lifesavers is a Royal Life Saving program aimed at youth engagement in water safety, rescue, and lifesaving skills. It combines aspects of swimming, rescue, accident prevention, emergency care and survival skills, both in and out of water. The program aligns with NSW & Australian school curricula and is benchmarked to the National Swimming & Water Safety Framework.
Beyond learning skills, the program also promotes teamwork, resilience, and community spirit. Children gain exposure to both recreational and competitive pathways, with the option to participate in either pool-based activities or open water environments. This flexible structure ensures that young people can continue their aquatic journey beyond traditional learn-to-swim programs, with opportunities to develop in contexts that best reflect their community and lifestyle.
Junior Lifesavers
Benefits of Junior Lifesavers
Participants and partner organisations enjoy multiple benefits:
Develops swimming, rescue, survival and emergency care skills.
Encourages fun, variety and challenges through activities and games.
Flexible delivery in pools or open water, adapted to skill levels.
Helps schools and centres retain children and add program value.
Provides teacher training, resources, guides and marketing support.
Links to recreational and competitive pathways in lifesaving sport.
FLEXIBLE DELIVERY
A program that works in different places.
Our programs can support structured programs at aquatic facilities, swim schools, schools and community settings.
JL in the Pool
The Pool stream develops practical lifesaving skills through active, scenario-based learning in a controlled aquatic environment. Participants combine swimming, survival, rescue and emergency-care activities while building the confidence and judgement needed to recognise risks and respond safely when someone needs help.
Participants can:
Strengthen swimming and survival skills
Recognise hazards in aquatic environments
Practise reaching, throwing and swimming rescues
Learn how to use rescue equipment
Develop emergency-care and resuscitation awareness
Complete individual and team challenges
Build judgement and decision-making skills
Improve communication and teamwork
Apply their skills through realistic rescue scenarios
Activities can be adapted to participant ability and the available aquatic facility. Rather than progressing through fixed levels, Junior Lifesavers take part in varied challenges that encourage skill development, problem-solving and enjoyable participation.
JL in Open Water
The Open Water stream helps participants apply lifesaving and survival skills in rivers, lakes, beaches and dams. Activities introduce the changing conditions and hazards found in natural environments, helping young people become more capable, observant and confident when participating in open-water recreation.
Participants can:
Identify hazards in different natural environments
Understand how conditions can change
Practise safe entries and exits
Develop open-water swimming and survival skills
Use reaching, throwing and rescue techniques
Learn how to signal and call for help
Apply self-rescue strategies
Complete individual and team challenges
Respond to realistic open-water scenarios
Activities are selected to suit the location, conditions and participant ability. Through supervised practical learning, Junior Lifesavers develop a stronger understanding of their limitations and how to make safer decisions around open water.
JL for Sport
The Pool Lifesaving Sport stream turns practical lifesaving skills into active and engaging sporting challenges. Participants develop swimming, rescue and teamwork capabilities while exploring opportunities to compete, represent their club and become involved in the wider lifesaving-sport community.
Participants can:
Improve swimming speed and endurance
Develop rescue and towing techniques
Learn to use lifesaving-sport equipment
Practise individual and team events
Build fitness, agility and coordination
Strengthen teamwork and communication
Learn competition rules and event procedures
Participate in club activities and competitions
Explore representative sporting pathways
Participants can become involved for enjoyment, personal development or competition. The stream provides a pathway into lifesaving clubs, events and representative teams while reinforcing the practical skills and values at the heart of lifesaving.