If your children are budding lifeguards, then the Rookie Lifeguard Award developed by the Royal Lifesaving Society UK in conjunction with the ASA and the LTS, should be just what you are looking for.
As well as offering parents the comfort of knowing their children are aware of the dangers of swimming in open water, the Bronze, Silver and Gold stage awards ensure children have a solid safety education, and have learned rescue and resuscitation techniques.
Each stage is sub-divided into three levels and each stage runs roughly for 8-10 weeks. Your children can enter a course at any point during the stage and progress at his or her own speed.
The Rookie Lifeguard Programme also comes with the Water Safety Award, the Life Support Award and the Achievement Awards. There are also other bolt-on awards that can be achieved, such as Snorkelling, Paddle Board and Beach Awards.
Parent information
What is a Rookie lifeguard?
The Rookie Lifeguard programme is aimed primarily at children from six years old and above.
The course, which has been designed by water safety specialists at RLSS UK, is designed to ensure that every child in the UK has essential water skills to keep themselves safe and knowledge of what to do in an emergency. We intend to spread the good practice of water safety here in Lanzarote and beyond.
The programme features swimming and lifesaving skills supported by water safety education, allowing participants to enjoy swimming as an activity and, vitally, to protect their lives should an accident occur in or out of the water.
What benefit do the children get ?
Youngsters who take part in the awards will fulfill at least all of the requirements set out in the National Curriculum UK. It is hoped that Rookie Lifeguard will help produce a new generation of children who can not only swim competently but also have a strong awareness of water safety and rescue principles.
The awards have been mapped against the Lifesaving model for Long Term Lifesaving Development programme to ensure the appropriate activity is matched to the age of the participant.
Crucially, fledgling swimmers are given the opportunity to progress at their own speed, not that of their peers. The fluid nature of the course allows children to spend as much time as they need to become confident within the water. This will mean that individuals can all develop at different speeds – and cut down on children who are left with feelings of inadequacy or even worse, a fear of water as a result of failing to progress at the same rate as their classmates.
Rookie Lifeguards will work for bronze, silver and gold awards, with three awards at each level along with for those. Theory-based lessons to back up practical skills.
Our Bolt on awards include paddle board, CPR and communications with use of the phonetic alphabet and correct radio procedure.
For more information please go to http://www.lanzarotelifeguard.com/ including the dates for all of the upcoming courses.
