Study suggests new Canadians have a higher risk of drowning
Posted Jul 15, 2010 06:36:45 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A new study shows new Canadians are at higher risk of drowning, but the KW Multicultural Centre is already working on a lifeline.
Results from a new study commissioned by the Lifesaving Society show that despite plans by 79 per cent of new Canadians to be in and around water this summer, they are four times more likely to be unable to swim than those born in Canada.
And half of new Canadians parents worry their children might drown or become injured when swimming.
Lucia Harrison, Executive Director of the Kitchener Waterloo Multicultural Centre says they’ve already started a program training new Canadian youth to be life-guard assistants.
She says the eight youth now in the program should be pool-side next month, if they pass all their certification requirements, and will be able to translate the “Swim to Survive” program.
Harrison says the City of Kitchener approached the Centre last Fall asking for translators for that program, but they instead went one better and created this program to “diversify the face of the lifeguards” at the pools.
She says based on previous experience, they know if someone sees themself represented at a pool, there’s a much better chance they will use the pool.
Harrison hopes to have up to twelve youth in the second year of the program.
