Scarborough-Wombarra lifesaver Peter Rafferty is giving free swim lessons for refugees and asylum seekers again this year, with ocean pool classes starting in October.
Peter has been teaching refugees to swim for four years and has received NSW government recognition for his contribution to the community.
“One was a seniors community award, another was a sort of ‘nice bloke’ award,” Peter says, laughing.
“The state member came down and presented them to me at home, and one of them was read out in parliament!”
Peter starts by teaching swim safety essentials. Participants are taught how to float, spot a rip and stay calm in the water.
“Most people that come here as immigrants are from places where there's no surf. The only water they’re exposed to is still water,” Peter says.
“One of the key things I do is teach about surf safety. I teach them about what rips are, where the rips are and swimming between the flags, staying off rock shelves, all this normal stuff that you and I just take for granted, I teach that to them in the first lesson.
“I am AUSTSWIM qualified, so I teach the AUSTSWIM method and it works – that’s the key to it. I keep my licence valid.”
As a surf lifesaver, Peter has his Bronze Medallion, renews his First Aid and CPR certification, and keeps a current Working with Children Check.
AUSTSWIM licences provide coverage for teachers with $20 million public liability insurance.
“One of the things that I found difficult with the council was that they didn't want me using the lanes in the pools where they have people paying for lessons … they said this was related to insurance matters, so that was just one of the things I was able to eliminate from their rejection,” Peter says.
“But heaps of people have offered to help. So now Wollongong Council are rolling out lane hire. I’ll be able to hire a lane. And a number of people have said, ‘Let me know if you hire out a lane and I'll help pay for it.'”
The local community has provided incredible support, Peter says. “The department of sport and rec sent me a whole lot of stuff to help – goggles and swimming caps and other things."
This helps women, particularly from Africa, who prefer not to get their hair wet for cultural reasons, he says. “So I can give them a cap and some goggles, and kickboards, and the kids can have sinkies and stuff.”
Last year, Peter’s cycling mates chipped in to hire a bus and driver, providing transport from Wollongong to Scarborough for families learning to swim.
“It was really cool, I couldn’t believe it when they did that, it was so sweet, really thoughtful blokes,” he says.
Last season, Peter had a helper, a newly qualified AUSTSWIM teacher who was keen to gain practical experience.
“A girl that I run with – her daughter was doing swimming stuff and I offered her some experience. So she’d teach the little ones and I’d teach the older ones,” Peter says.
“Having someone helping me was really cool. Culturally as well, it is good for people from some countries to have a woman with me.
“My daughter and wife come with me sometimes if they know I’ve got new people coming. Or my grandson will come along sometimes, he’s only four and he’ll be in his Wahu vest kicking along saying, ‘Grandpa, is this what you want them to do?’ So that breaks the ice a bit.”
Peter is also a competitive triathlete, taking part in ocean swims, marathons, triathlons and cycling events. Through his experience, he has learned valuable tips and tricks to bring to his lessons.
“I teach silent swimming as well, to people who can swim. It's also known as effortless swimming. You’ve got to be able to swim about 50 metres – but I’ve taught a couple of blokes my age that couldn’t swim a lap, and now they’re regularly swimming a kilometre.”
MCCI refers beginners to Peter, but he also welcomes new students to contact him on 0424 199 299 for more details.
Watch: Iris Huizinga's short film about Peter's lessons in the Flame's 'Community Champions' series, which was made with the help of a grant from the Walkley Foundation