Many local youngsters have had the privilege to learn the life skill of swimming thanks to Gunida Gunyah Aboriginal Corporation.
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In the past two school terms children from preschool age up to 24-year-olds have learnt to swim and practice safe water skills in the Gunnedah indoor pool.
Twice-weekly for 10 weeks, younger children participated in the Learn to Swim program, and in the afternoons the older locals aged 14-24 participated in the Water Safety Program. Their last lesson will be on Thursday.
It was made possible with a $54,000 grant from the state government's Water Safety Fund Community Grants Program.
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Gunida Gunyah chief executive officer Jane Bender said many local schools, preschools and child care facilities were invited to participate in the programs.
"We have had over 100 kids per term participate in the Learn to Swim program per school term," Ms Bender said.
"Schools [and] child care facilities that have participated include Winanga-Li Aboriginal Child and Family Centre, Gunnedah Preschool, Curlewis Public School, as well as members of the local community."
Ms Bender said the programs were originally targeted for Indigenous youth, but many non-Indigenous children also participated.
Gunida Gunyah provided the younger children with towels, goggles and ear plugs each lesson, which were facilitated onsite by head swim teacher and coach Pat McAdam.
The older children and adults learnt stroke correction, water safety and CPR awareness training. The CPR training was held onsite at Gunida Gunyah and facilitated by Cameron McFarlane.
Parents of children in the Learn to Swim program were also invited to participate, as were a number of children from Gunnedah High School.
Gunida Gunyah will run similar programs in the future using staff who have had training to become qualified swim teachers.