- Organisation supported: Aktive, Auckland
- Project details: Water Skills for Life is a collaborative initiative that coordinates the delivery of water skills lessons to primary-aged tamariki across Tāmaki Makaurau. Four Winds’ funding supported the programme in Counties Manukau.
- Four Winds Foundation grant funding allocated: $50,000
Water safety is a crucial life skill in Aotearoa, where the close connection to water is part of everyday life for many.
As one of the key organisations responsible for encouraging participation in sport and recreation in Auckland, Aktive plays an important role in encouraging water safety, with the help of partners like the Four Winds Foundation.
With support from Four Winds, Aktive has been able to facilitate the delivery of its Water Skills for Life programme to tamariki in specific areas of Counties Manukau, focusing on those most vulnerable to water-related risk.
Since its inception in 2011, Water Skills for Life has reached over 100,000 school-aged tamariki, delivering more than 1.38 million lessons. Four Winds’ funding specifically supported schools with an Equity Index of 420 and above, ensuring equitable access to this life-saving education.
Eligible students received eight professionally delivered lessons designed to build confidence and core water competencies, including floating, treading water, safe entries and exits, and basic rescue skills. These lessons help tamariki learn how to keep themselves safe in, on, and around water.
Jennah Wootten, Chief Executive of Aktive, says: “Water Skills for Life provides freely available resources aimed at enhancing the quality and focus of aquatic programmes. This programme emphasises age-appropriate skills relevant to environments where drownings most commonly occur, such as beaches, rivers and lakes.”
Together, this partnership has strengthened water safety knowledge, created safer communities, and will have a lasting impact for generations to come.
Jennah continues: “Our ability to deliver Water Skills for Life, in pools across Auckland, depends hugely on the generosity of funders such as Four Winds Foundation whose support enables more children to participate,”.
“The recent grant from Four Winds Foundation directly supports eight schools in Counties Manukau which will help tamariki keep themselves safe in, on and around water.”
